Storage and retrieval system

ABSTRACT

An automated storage and retrieval system including at least one autonomous transport vehicle, a transfer deck that defines a transport surface for the vehicle, at least one reciprocating lift, a first and second pickface interface station connected to the deck and spaced apart from each other, each station forming a pickface transfer interfacing between the vehicle on the deck and the lift at each station so that a pickface is transferred between the lift and the vehicle at each station, wherein the vehicle is configured to pick a first pickface at the first station, traverse the deck and buffer the first pickface, or at least a portion thereof, at the second station so that the second station has multiple pickfaces buffered on a common support in an order sequence of pickfaces according to a predetermined case out order sequence of mixed case pickfaces.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional patentapplication Ser. No. 15/848,809 filed Dec. 20, 2017 which is acontinuation of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No.14/997,920, filed on Jan. 18, 2016 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,856,083, issuedJan. 2, 2018), which claims priority from and the benefit of U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/104,520, filed on Jan. 16, 2015,the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

This application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/966,978, filed on Dec. 11, 2015; U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/997,892, filed on Jan. 18, 2016; U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/997,902, filed on Jan. 18, 2016; U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/997,925, filed on Jan. 18, 2016; and U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/107,135, filed on Jan. 23, 2015, the disclosures ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

The exemplary embodiments generally relate to material handling systemsand, more particularly, to transport and storage of items within thematerial handling system.

2. Brief Description of Related Developments

Multilevel storage and retrieval systems may be used in warehouses forthe storage and retrieval of goods. Generally the transportation ofgoods into and out of the storage structure is done with lifts fortransfer to a vehicle on a storage level, vehicles travelling up rampsto a predetermined storage level, or with vehicles that include liftstraveling along guide ways. Goods stored within the storage andretrieval system are generally stored in storage spaces on each storagelevel such that a transport vehicle disposed on that level has access toone level of storage spaces. Generally, the lifts that transfer items toand from the storage spaces carry the vehicles between different storagelevels, are incorporated into the vehicles (such as with a gantry crane)or have a paternoster configuration where the lift payload shelvescontinually circulate around a frame at a predetermined rate.

The case units output from the multilevel storage and retrieval systemsare transferred to a packing station where the case units are placed onpallets for shipping. Generally the pallets include case units ofsimilar size and shape so that stable case levels, sometimes withpaperboard sheets disposed between the levels, are formed on thepallets. In some instances each level of tier of the pallet isseparately formed and then placed on the pallet to form stacked tiers.Mixed pallets are also possible. Generally when forming a pallet layercases are placed in a buffer station or other location at thepalletizing station so that the dimensions of the case are measured. Acomputer or other processor determines an arrangement of the cases basedon the dimensions and instructs a robot to pick the cases for placementin the pallet layer.

It would be advantageous to sort case units for placement on a palletduring transport of the case units out of the storage and retrievalsystem storage structure to increase throughput of the storage andretrieval system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and other features of the disclosed embodiment areexplained in the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1 and 1A are schematic illustrations of an automated storage andretrieval system in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIGS. 1B, 1C, 1D and 1E are schematic illustrations of portions of theautomated storage and retrieval system in accordance with aspects of thedisclosed embodiment;

FIG. 1F is a schematic illustration of a mixed pallet load formed by theautomated storage and retrieval system in accordance with aspects of thedisclosed embodiment;

FIG. 1G is a schematic illustration of a portion of the automatedstorage and retrieval system in accordance with aspects of the disclosedembodiment;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic illustrations of portions of the storageand retrieval system in accordance with aspects of the disclosedembodiment;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic illustrations of portions of the storageand retrieval system in accordance with aspects of the disclosedembodiment;

FIGS. 4A, 4B and 5 are schematic illustrations of portions of thestorage and retrieval system in accordance with aspects of the disclosedembodiment;

FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of a transport vehicle in accordancewith aspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIG. 6A is a schematic illustration of a transport vehicle in accordancewith aspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are schematic illustrations of portions of the transportvehicle in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of a portion of the storage andretrieval system in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIGS. 10, 10A-10E are schematic illustrations of portions of thetransport vehicle in accordance with aspects of the disclosedembodiment;

FIGS. 11-13 are schematic illustrations of portions of the storage andretrieval system in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIGS. 14-20 are exemplary flow diagrams in accordance with aspects ofthe disclosed embodiment;

FIGS. 21, 22A and 22B are schematic illustrations of portions of theautomated storage and retrieval system in accordance with aspects of thedisclosed embodiment;

FIG. 23 is an exemplary flow diagram in accordance with aspects of thedisclosed embodiment;

FIG. 24 is a schematic illustration of a portion of the storage andretrieval system in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIG. 25 exemplary flow diagram in accordance with aspects of thedisclosed embodiment;

FIG. 26 is a schematic illustration of an operator station of thestorage and retrieval system in accordance with aspects of the disclosedembodiment; and

FIG. 27 is an exemplary flow diagram in accordance with aspects of thedisclosed embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an automated storage and retrievalsystem 100 in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment.Although the aspects of the disclosed embodiment will be described withreference to the drawings, it should be understood that the aspects ofthe disclosed embodiment can be embodied in many forms. In addition, anysuitable size, shape or type of elements or materials could be used.

In accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment the automatedstorage and retrieval system 100 may operate in a retail distributioncenter or warehouse to, for example, fulfill orders received from retailstores for case units such as those described in U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/326,674 filed on Dec. 15, 2011, the disclosure of which isincorporated by reference herein in its entirety. For example, the caseunits are cases or units of goods not stored in trays, on totes or onpallets (e.g. uncontained). In other examples, the case units are casesor units of goods that are contained in any suitable manner such as intrays, on totes or on pallets. In still other examples, the case unitsare a combination of uncontained and contained items. It is noted thatthe case units, for example, include cased units of goods (e.g. case ofsoup cans, boxes of cereal, etc.) or individual goods that are adaptedto be taken off of or placed on a pallet. In accordance with the aspectsof the disclosed embodiment, shipping cases for case units (e.g.cartons, barrels, boxes, crates, jugs, or any other suitable device forholding case units) may have variable sizes and may be used to hold caseunits in shipping and may be configured so they are capable of beingpalletized for shipping. It is noted that when, for example, bundles orpallets of case units arrive at the storage and retrieval system thecontent of each pallet may be uniform (e.g. each pallet holds apredetermined number of the same item—one pallet holds soup and anotherpallet holds cereal) and as pallets leave the storage and retrievalsystem the pallets may contain any suitable number and combination ofdifferent case units (e.g. a mixed pallet where each mixed pallet holdsdifferent types of case units—a pallet holds a combination of soup andcereal) that are provided to, for example the palletizer in a sortedarrangement for forming the mixed pallet. In the embodiments the storageand retrieval system described herein may be applied to any environmentin which case units are stored and retrieved.

Also referring to FIG. 1F, it is noted that when, for example, incomingbundles or pallets (e.g. from manufacturers or suppliers of case unitsarrive at the storage and retrieval system for replenishment of theautomated storage and retrieval system 100, the content of each palletmay be uniform (e.g. each pallet holds a predetermined number of thesame item—one pallet holds soup and another pallet holds cereal). As maybe realized, the cases of such pallet load may be substantially similaror in other words, homogenous cases (e.g. similar dimensions), and mayhave the same SKU (otherwise, as noted before the pallets may be“rainbow” pallets having layers formed of homogeneous cases). As palletsPAL leave the storage and retrieval system 100, with cases fillingreplenishment orders, the pallets PAL may contain any suitable numberand combination of different case units CU (e.g. each pallet may holddifferent types of case units—a pallet holds a combination of cannedsoup, cereal, beverage packs, cosmetics and household cleaners). Thecases combined onto a single pallet may have different dimensions and/ordifferent SKU's. In one aspect of the exemplary embodiment, the storageand retrieval system 100 may be configured to generally include anin-feed section, a storage and sortation section (where, in one aspect,storage of items is optional) and an output section as will be describedin greater detail below. As may be realized, in one aspect of thedisclosed embodiment the system 100 operating for example as a retaildistribution center may serve to receive uniform pallet loads of cases,breakdown the pallet goods or disassociate the cases from the uniformpallet loads into independent case units handled individually by thesystem, retrieve and sort the different cases sought by each order intocorresponding groups, and transport and assemble the correspondinggroups of cases into what may be referred to as mixed case pallet loadsMPL. As may also be realized, as illustrated in FIG. 26, in one aspectof the disclosed embodiment the system 100 operating for example as aretail distribution center may serve to receive uniform pallet loads ofcases, breakdown the pallet goods or disassociate the cases from theuniform pallet loads into independent case units handled individually bythe system, retrieve and sort the different cases sought by each orderinto corresponding groups, and transport and sequence the correspondinggroups of cases (in the manner described herein) at an operator station160EP where items are picked from the different case units CU, and/orthe different case units CU themselves, are placed in one or morebag(s), tote(s) or other suitable container(s) TOT by an operator 1500,or any suitable automation, in a predetermined order sequence of pickeditems according to, for example, an order, fulfilling one or morecustomer orders, in which the case units CU are sequenced at theoperator station 160EP in accordance with the predetermined ordersequence, noting that the sequencing of the case units CU as describedherein effects the sequencing of the case units CU at the operatorstation 160EP. The in-feed section may generally be capable of resolvingthe uniform pallet loads to individual cases, and transporting the casesvia suitable transport, for input to the storage and sortation section.In other aspects the output section assembles the appropriate group ofordered case units, that may be different in SKU, dimensions, etc. intobags, totes or other suitable containers to according to thepredetermined order sequence of picked items at the operator station160EP (such as to fill a customer order).

The storage and sortation section includes, as will be described ingreater detail below, a multilevel automated storage array that has atransport system that in turn receives or feeds individual cases intothe multilevel storage array for storage in a storage area. The storageand sortation section also defines outbound transport of case units fromthe multilevel storage array such that desired case units areindividually retrieved in accordance with commands generated inaccordance to orders entered into a warehouse management system, such aswarehouse management system 2500, for transport to the output section.In other aspects, the storage and sortation section receives individualcases, sorts the individual cases (utilizing, for example, the bufferand interface stations described herein) and transfers the individualcases to the output section in accordance to orders entered into thewarehouse management system. The sorting and grouping of cases accordingto order (e.g. an order out sequence) may be performed in whole or inpart by either the storage and retrieval section or the output section,or both, the boundary between being one of convenience for thedescription and the sorting and grouping being capable of beingperformed any number of ways. The intended result is that the outputsection assembles the appropriate group of ordered cases, that may bedifferent in SKU, dimensions, etc. into mixed case pallet loads in themanner described in, for example, U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/654,293 filed on Oct. 17, 2012 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,965,559) thedisclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In the exemplary embodiment, the output section generates the palletload in what may be referred to as a structured architecture of mixedcase stacks. The structured architecture of the pallet load describedherein is representative and in other aspects the pallet load may haveany other suitable configuration. For example, the structuredarchitecture may be any suitable predetermined configuration such as atruck bay load or other suitable container or load container envelopeholding a structural load. The structured architecture of the palletload may be characterized as having several flat case layers L121-L125,L12T, at least one of which is formed of non-intersecting, free-standingand stable stacks of multiple mixed cases. The mixed case stacks of thegiven layer have substantially the same height, to form as may berealized substantially flat top and bottom surfaces of the given layer,and may be sufficient in number to cover the pallet area, or a desiredportion of the pallet area. Overlaying layer(s) may be orientated sothat corresponding cases of the layer(s) bridge between the stacks ofthe supporting layer. Thus, stabilizing the stacks and correspondinglythe interfacing layer(s) of the pallet load. In defining the pallet loadinto a structured layer architecture, the coupled 3-D pallet loadsolution is resolved into two parts that may be saved separately, avertical (1-D) part resolving the load into layers, and a horizontal(2-D) part of efficiently distributing stacks of equal height to fillout the pallet height of each layer. As will be described below, thestorage and retrieval system outputs case units to the output section sothat the two parts of the 3-D pallet load solution are resolved. Thepredetermined structure of the mixed pallet load defines an order ofcase units, whether the case units are a singular case unit pickface ora combined case unit pickface provided by the sortation and outputsections to a load construction system (which may be automated or manualloading).

In accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment, referring againto FIG. 1, the automated storage and retrieval system 100 includes inputstations 160IN (which include depalletizers 160PA and/or conveyors 160CAfor transporting items to lift modules for entry into storage) andoutput stations 160UT (which include palletizers 160PB, operatorstations 160EP and/or conveyors 160CB for transporting case units fromlift modules for removal from storage), input and output vertical liftmodules 150A, 150B (generally referred to as lift modules 150—it isnoted that while input and output lift modules are shown, a single liftmodule may be used to both input and remove case units from the storagestructure), a storage structure 130, and a number of autonomous roversor transport vehicles 110 (referred to herein as “bots”). It is notedthat the depalletizers 160PA may be configured to remove case units frompallets so that the input station 160IN can transport the items to thelift modules 150 for input into the storage structure 130. Thepalletizers 160PB may be configured to place items removed from thestorage structure 130 on pallets PAL (FIG. 1F) for shipping. As usedherein the lift modules 150, storage structure 130 and bots 110 may becollectively referred to herein as the multilevel automated storagearray (e.g. storage and sorting section) noted above so as to define(e.g. relative to e.g. a bot 110 frame of reference REF—FIG. 6—or anyother suitable storage and retrieval system frame of reference)transport/throughput axes (in e.g. three dimensions) that serve thethree dimensional multilevel automated storage array where eachthroughput axis has an integral “on the fly sortation” (e.g. sortationof case units during transport of the case units) so that case unitsorting and throughput occurs substantially simultaneously withoutdedicated sorters as will be described in further detail below.Sortation along each throughput axis is selectable so that a load out(e.g. transfer of outgoing case units to form a pallet load) is effectedalong all throughput axes or any combination of throughput axes/axiswith substantially no throughput cost relative to a throughput of caseunits without any sortation (e.g. a “sortationless” throughput). As anexample of case unit throughput as it relates to sortation, referringalso to FIG. 1A, the storage and retrieval system 100 includes severalareas or regions of throughput. For example, there is multi-level caseunit storage throughput 130LTP (e.g. placement of case units intostorage), horizontal case unit transport throughput 110TP (e.g. atransfer of case unit(s) from storage along the picking aisles andtransfer decks), case buffering throughput BTSTP (e.g. buffering of caseunits to facilitate transfer of the case units between storage andvertical transport), vertical transport throughput 150TP (e.g. transferof case units by the vertical lifts), and throughput at the outputstations 160TP which includes, e.g., transport by conveyors 160CB andpalletizing by palletizer 160PB. In one aspect sortation of case units,as described herein, is effected substantially coincident (e.g. “on thefly”) with throughput 130LTP, 110TP, BTSTP, 150TP of case units alongeach throughput axis (e.g. the X, Y, Z axes relative to, for example, abot 110 and or lift 150 frame of reference) and sortation along eachaxis is independently selectable so that sortation is effected along oneor more X, Y, Z axes.

As may be realized, an on the fly sortation of case units occurs, in oneaspect, on the bot 110 without offloading case units/pickfaces carriedby the bot 110 when the bot 110 is one of both moving between caseunit/pickface holding locations and static/standing (e.g. not traversinga transfer deck, picking aisle, etc.) As will be described below, one ormore of high density multi-level shelving aisles, linear buffer stationsBS along the transfer decks 130B and linear multi-place transferstations TS effect on the fly substantially coincident sortation withthroughput along the X axis. As will also be described below, one ormore of the bot 110 transfer arm and end effector 110PA (which isconfigured to sort cases/pickfaces through end effector traverse alongthe Y axis for multi-independent picking/placing of cases/pickfaceswhere the Y axis is defined by the extension of the transfer arm 110PAand is in a different direction angled relative to another of thetransport axes defined by the bot 110 along the picking aisle 130A) andindependent load handling devices of the lifts 150 (configured forsortation on the lift platforms through extension of the load handlingdevice in along the Y axis) effect on the fly substantially coincidentsortation with throughput along the Y axis. As may be realized, thelifts 150 are configured to transport pickfaces between differenttransfer deck levels and provide on the fly substantially coincidentsortation with throughput along the Z axis (which is defined by thelifts 150) as will be described herein. In one aspect the lift isconfigured to pick one or more pickfaces from one or more transfer decklevels and transport the one or more pickfaces to a load fill section orcell (such as output station 160UT) of the storage and retrieval system100. The term load fill section or load fill cell (used interchangeablyherein, and generally referred to as a load fill) refers to either apallet load fill section/cell (such as for the creation of a mixedpallet load MPL) or an itemized load fill section/cell as described withrespect to FIG. 26.

Also referring to FIGS. 1G and 2A, the storage structure 130 may includemultiple storage rack modules RM, configured in a high density threedimensional rack array RMA, that are accessible by storage or decklevels 130L. As used herein the term “high density three dimensionalrack array” refers to the three dimensional rack array RMA havingundeterministic open shelving distributed along picking aisles 130Awhere multiple stacked shelves are accessible from a common pickingaisle travel surface or picking aisle level (e.g. case units are placedat each picking aisle level within dynamically allocated storage spacesso that the vertical space/gap VG and horizontal space/gap G betweencase units is minimized at each picking aisle level, as will bedescribed in greater detail below).

Each storage level 130L includes pickface storage/handoff spaces 130S(referred to herein as storage spaces 130S) formed by the rack modulesRM where the rack modules include shelves that are disposed alongstorage or picking aisles 130A (that are connected to the transfer deck130B) which, e.g., extend linearly through the rack module array RMA andprovide bot 110 access to the storage spaces 130S and transfer deck(s)130B. In one aspect, the shelves of the rack modules RM are arranged asmulti-level shelves that are distributed along the picking aisles 130A.As may be realized the bots 110 travel on a respective storage level130L along the picking aisles 130A and the transfer deck 130B fortransferring case units between any of the storage spaces 130S of thestorage structure 130 (e.g. on the level which the bot 110 is located)and any of the lift modules 150 (e.g. each of the bots 110 has access toeach storage space 130S on a respective level and each lift module 150on a respective storage level 130L). The transfer decks 130B arearranged at different levels (corresponding to each level 130L of thestorage and retrieval system) that may be stacked one over the other orhorizontally offset, such as having one transfer deck 130B at one end orside RMAE1 of the storage rack array RMA or at several ends or sidesRMAE1, RMAE2 of the storage rack array RMA as described in, for example,U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/326,674 filed on Dec. 15, 2011 thedisclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The transfer decks 130B are substantially open and configured for theundeterministic traversal of bots 110 along multiple travel lanes (e.g.along the X throughput axis with respect to the bot frame of referenceREF illustrated in FIG. 6) across and along the transfer decks 130B. Asmay be realized, the transfer deck(s) 130B at each storage level 130Lcommunicate with each of the picking aisles 130A on the respectivestorage level 130L. Bots 110 bi-directionally traverse between thetransfer deck(s) 130B and picking aisles 130A on each respective storagelevel 130L so as to travel along the picking aisles (e.g. along the Xthroughput axis with respect to the bot frame of reference REFillustrated in FIG. 6) and access the storage spaces 130S disposed inthe rack shelves alongside each of the picking aisles 130A (e.g. bots110 may access, along the Y throughput axis, storage spaces 130Sdistributed on both sides of each aisle such that the bot 110 may have adifferent facing when traversing each picking aisle 130A, for example,referring to FIG. 6, drive wheels 202 leading a direction of travel ordrive wheels trailing a direction of travel). As may be realized,throughput outbound from the storage array in the horizontal planecorresponding to a predetermined storage or deck level 130L is effectedby and manifest in the combined or integrated throughput along both theX and Y throughput axes. As noted above, the transfer deck(s) 130B alsoprovides bot 110 access to each of the lifts 150 on the respectivestorage level 130L where the lifts 150 feed and remove case units (e.g.along the Z throughput axis) to and/or from each storage level 130L andwhere the bots 110 effect case unit transfer between the lifts 150 andthe storage spaces 130S.

As described above, referring also to FIG. 2A, in one aspect the storagestructure 130 includes multiple storage rack modules RM, configured in athree dimensional array RMA where the racks are arranged in aisles 130A,the aisles 130A being configured for bot 110 travel within the aisles130A. The transfer deck 130B has an undeterministic transport surface onwhich the bots 100 travel where the undeterministic transport surface130BS has more than one juxtaposed travel lane (e.g. high speed bottravel paths HSTP) connecting the aisles 130A. As may be realized, thejuxtaposed travel lanes are juxtaposed along a common undeterministictransport surface 130BS between opposing sides 130BD1, 130BD2 of thetransfer deck 130B. As illustrated in FIG. 2A, in one aspect the aisles130A are joined to the transfer deck 130B on one side 130BD2 of thetransfer deck 130B but in other aspects, the aisles are joined to morethan one side 130BD1, 130BD2 of the transfer deck 130B in a mannersubstantially similar to that described in U.S. patent application Ser.No. 13/326,674 filed on Dec. 15, 2011, the disclosure of which ispreviously incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. As will bedescribed in greater detail below the other side 130BD1 of the transferdeck 130B includes deck storage racks (e.g. interface stations TS andbuffer stations BS) that are distributed along the other side 130BD1 ofthe transfer deck 130B so that at least one part of the transfer deck isinterposed between the deck storage racks (such as, for example, bufferstations BS or transfer stations TS) and the aisles 130A. The deckstorage racks are arranged along the other side 130BD1 of the transferdeck 130B so that the deck storage racks communicate with the bots 110from the transfer deck 130B and with the lift modules 150 (e.g. the deckstorage racks are accessed by the bots 110 from the transfer deck 130Band by the lifts 150 for picking and placing pickfaces so that pickfacesare transferred between the bots 110 and the deck storage racks andbetween the deck storage racks and the lifts 150 and hence between thebots 110 and the lifts 150).

Referring again to FIG. 1, each storage level 130L may also includecharging stations 130C for charging an on-board power supply of the bots110 on that storage level 130L such as described in, for example, U.S.patent application Ser. No. 14/209,086 filed on Mar. 13, 2014 and Ser.No. 13/326,823 filed on Dec. 15, 2011 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,082,112), thedisclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

The bots 110 may be any suitable independently operable autonomoustransport vehicles that carry and transfer case units along the X and Ythroughput axes throughout the storage and retrieval system 100. In oneaspect the bots 110 are automated, independent (e.g. free riding)autonomous transport vehicles. Suitable examples of bots can be foundin, for exemplary purposes only, U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/326,674 filed on Dec. 15, 2011; U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/757,312 filed on Apr. 9, 2010 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,425,173); U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/326,423 filed on Dec. 15, 2011; U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/326,447 filed on Dec. 15, 2011 (now U.S.Pat. No. 8,965,619); U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/326,505 Dec.15, 2011 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,696,010); U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/327,040 filed on Dec. 15, 2011 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,187,244); U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/326,952 filed on Dec. 15, 2011; U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/326,993 filed on Dec. 15, 2011; U.S.patent application Ser. No. 14/486,008 filed on Sep. 15, 2014; and U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/107,135 filed on Jan. 23, 2015,the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in theirentireties. The bots 110 (described in greater detail below) may beconfigured to place case units, such as the above described retailmerchandise, into picking stock in the one or more levels of the storagestructure 130 and then selectively retrieve ordered case units. As maybe realized, in one aspect, the throughput axes X and Y (e.g. pickfacetransport axes) of the storage array are defined by the picking aisles130A, at least one transfer deck 130B, the bot 110 and the extendableend effector (as described herein) of the bot 110 (and in other aspectsthe extendable end effector of the lifts 150 also, at least in part,defines the Y throughput axis). The pickfaces are transported between aninbound section of the storage and retrieval system 100, where pickfacesinbound to the array are generated (such as, for example, input station160IN) and a load fill section of the storage and retrieval system 100(such as for example, output station 160UT), where outbound pickfacesfrom the array are arranged to fill a load in accordance with apredetermined load fill order sequence. In one aspect, the storage rackmodules RM and the bots 110 are arranged so that in combination thestorage rack modules RM and the bots 110 effect the on the fly sortationof mixed case pickfaces coincident with transport on at least one (or inother aspects on at least one of each of the more than one) of thethroughput axes so that two or more pickfaces are picked from one ormore of the storage spaces and placed at one or more pickface holdinglocations (such as, for example, the buffer and transfer stations BS,TS), that are different than the storage spaces 130S, according to thepredetermined load fill order sequence.

The bots 110, lift modules 150 and other suitable features of thestorage and retrieval system 100 are controlled in any suitable mannersuch as by, for example, one or more central system control computers(e.g. control server) 120 through, for example, any suitable network180. In one aspect the network 180 is a wired network, a wirelessnetwork or a combination of wireless and wired networks using anysuitable type and/or number of communication protocols. In one aspect,the control server 120 includes a collection of substantiallyconcurrently running programs (e.g. system management software) forsubstantially automatic control of the automated storage and retrievalsystem 100. The collection of substantially concurrently runningprograms, for example, being configured to manage the storage andretrieval system 100 including, for exemplary purposes only,controlling, scheduling, and monitoring the activities of all activesystem components, managing inventory (e.g. which case units are inputand removed, the order in which the cases are removed and where the caseunits are stored) and pickfaces (e.g. one or more case units that aremovable as a unit and handled as a unit by components of the storage andretrieval system), and interfacing with a warehouse management system2500. The control server 120 may, in one aspect, be configured tocontrol the features of the storage and retrieval system in the mannerdescribed herein. For simplicity and ease of explanation the term “caseunit(s)” is generally used herein for referring to both individual caseunits and pickfaces (a pickface is formed of multiple case units thatare moved as a unit).

Referring also to FIGS. 1B and 1D the rack module array RMA of thestorage structure 130 includes vertical support members 1212 andhorizontal support members 1200 that define the high density automatedstorage array as will be described in greater detail below. Rails 1200Smay be mounted to one or more of the vertical and horizontal supportmembers 1212, 1200 in, for example, picking aisles 130A and beconfigured so that the bots 110 ride along the rails 1200S through thepicking aisles 130A. At least one side of at least one of the pickingaisles 130A of at least one storage level 130L may have one or morestorage shelves (e.g. formed by rails 1210, 1200 and slats 1210S)provided at differing heights so as to form multiple shelf levels130LS1-130LS4 between the storage or deck levels 130L defined by thetransfer decks 130B (and the rails 1200S which form an aisle deck).Accordingly, there are multiple rack shelf levels 130LS1-130LS4,corresponding to each storage level 130L, extending along one or morepicking aisles 130A communicating with the transfer deck 130B of therespective storage level 130L. As may be realized, the multiple rackshelf levels 130LS1-130LS4 effect each storage level 130L having stacksof stored case units (or case layers) that are accessible from a commondeck 1200S of a respective storage level 130L (e.g. the stacks of storedcases are located between storage levels).

As may be realized, bots 110 traversing a picking aisle 130A, at acorresponding storage level 130L, have access (e.g. for picking andplacing case units) to each storage space 130S that is available on eachshelf level 130LS1-130LS4, where each shelf level 130LS1-130LS4 islocated between adjacent vertically stacked storage levels 130L on oneor more side(s) PAS1, PAS2 (see e.g. FIG. 2A) of the picking aisle 130A.As noted above, each of the storage shelf levels 130LS1-130LS4 isaccessible by the bot 110 from the rails 1200 (e.g. from a commonpicking aisle deck 1200S that corresponds with a transfer deck 130B on arespective storage level 130L). As can be seen in FIGS. 1B and 1D thereare one or more intermediate shelf rails 1210 vertically spaced (e.g. inthe Z direction) from one another (and from rails 1200) to form multiplestacked storage spaces 130S each being accessible by the bot 110 fromthe common rails 1200S. As may be realized, the horizontal supportmembers 1200 also form shelf rails (in addition to shelf rails 1210) onwhich case units are placed.

Each stacked shelf level 130LS1-130LS4 (and/or each single shelf levelas described below) of a corresponding storage level 130L defines anopen and undeterministic two dimensional storage surface (e.g. having acase unit support plane CUSP as shown in FIG. 1D) that facilitates adynamic allocation of pickfaces both longitudinally (e.g. along a lengthof the aisle or coincident with a path of bot travel defined by thepicking aisle) and laterally (e.g. with respect to rack depth,transverse to the aisle or the path of bot travel). Dynamic allocationof the pickfaces and case units that make up the pickfaces is provided,for example, in the manner described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,594,835 issuedon Nov. 26, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated by referenceherein in its entirety. For example, the controller, such as controller120 monitors the case units stored on the shelves and the empty spacesor storage locations between the case units. The empty storage locationsare dynamically allocated such that, for exemplary purposes only, onecase having a first size is replaced by three cases each having a secondsize which when combined fits into the space previously reserved for thefirst size case, or vice versa. Dynamic allocation substantiallycontinuously resizes the empty storage locations as case units areplaced on and removed from the storage shelves (e.g. the storagelocations do not have a predetermined size and/or location on thestorage shelves). As such, case unit (or tote) pickfaces of variablelengths and widths are positioned at each two dimensional storagelocation on the storage shelves (e.g. on each storage shelf level130LS1-130LS4) with minimum gaps G (e.g. that effect picking/placing ofcase units free from contact with other case units stored on theshelves, see FIG. 1B) between adjacent stored case units/storage spaces.

As described above, the spacing between the rails 1200, 1210 (e.g.storage shelves) is a variable spacing so as to minimize (e.g. provideonly sufficient clearance for insertion and removal of case units from arespective storage location) the vertical gap VG between verticallystacked case units. As will be described below (e.g. with respect tosections SECA, SECB in FIGS. 1B and 2A), in one aspect the verticalspacing between rails 1200, 1210 varies along a length of a respectivepicking aisle 130A while in other aspects the spacing between rails1200, 1210 may be substantially continuous along a picking aisle 130A.As may be realized and as described in greater detail below, the spacingbetween the rails 1200, 1210 on one side PAS1 (FIG. 2A) of a pickingaisle 130A may be different than the spacing between rails 1200, 1210 onan opposite side PAS2 (FIG. 2A) of the same picking aisle 130A. As maybe realized, any suitable number of shelves 1210 may be provided betweenthe decks 1200S of adjacent vertically stacked storage levels 130L wherethe shelves have the same or differing pitches between the shelves (seee.g. FIG. 1C where case units CUD1, CUD2, CUE1-CUE3, CUF1, CUF2 arelocated in a vertical stack on one side of the picking aisle and caseunits CUA, CUB, CUC are located in a vertical stack on an opposite sideof the picking aisle on storage shelves having a substantially similarpitch). In one aspect of the disclosed embodiment, referring to FIG. 1B,a vertical pitch between rack shelf levels 130LS1-130LS4 (thatcorresponds to each storage level 130L) is varied so that a heightZ1A-Z1E between the shelves is different, rather than equal to, forexample, minimize a vertical gap VG between an upper or top surface CUTSof a case unit CU and a bottom of the storage shelf 1200, 1210 locateddirectly above the case unit. As can be seen in FIG. 1B, minimizing thegaps G, VG in both the horizontal and vertical directions results in adensely packed case unit arrangement within the storage shelves so as toform the high density three dimensional rack array RMA where, forexample, the high density multi-level shelving aisles increasesthroughput along the X throughput axis and enables an ordered/sorted(e.g. according to the predetermined load out sequence) multi-pick oftwo or more case units from a common picking aisle in one common pass ofthe picking aisle as will be described below. For example, stillreferring to FIG. 1B, one section SECB of the storage level 130Lincludes two storage shelves 1200, 1210 where one shelf has a pitch ofZ1A and the other shelf has a pitch of Z1B where Z1A and Z1B aredifferent from each other. This differing pitch allows for the placementof case units CUD, CUE having differing heights in a stack one above theother on a common storage level 130L. In other aspects pitches Z1A, Z1Bmay be substantially the same. In this aspect the storage level 130Lincludes another storage section SECA that has three storage shelveswhere one shelf has a pitch of Z1E, one storage shelf has a pitch of Z1Dand the other storage shelf has a pitch of Z1C where Z1E, Z1D and Z1Care different from each other. In other aspects at least two of thepitches Z1E, Z1D and Z1C are substantially the same. In one aspect thepitch between the shelves is arranged so that larger and/or heavier caseunits CUC, CUE are arranged closer to the deck 1200S than smaller and/orlighter case units CUD, CUA, CUB. In other aspects the pitch between theshelves is arranged so that the case units are arranged in any suitablepositions that may or may not be related to case unit size and weight.

In other aspects, the vertical pitch between at least some of the rackshelves is the same so that the height Z1A-Z1E between at least someshelves is equal while the vertical pitch between other shelves isdifferent. In still other aspects, the pitch of rack shelf levels130LS1-130LS4 on one storage level is a constant pitch (e.g. the rackshelf levels are substantially equally spaced in the Z direction) whilethe pitch of rack shelf levels 130LS1-130LS4 on a different storagelevel is a different constant pitch.

In one aspect, the storage space(s) 130S defined by the storage shelflevels 130LS1-130LS4 between the storage or deck levels 130Laccommodates case units of different heights, lengths, widths and/orweights at the different shelf levels 130LS1-130LS4 as described in, forexample, U.S. Non-provisional application Ser. No. 14/966,978, filed onDec. 11, 2015 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62/091,162 filedon Dec. 12, 2014, the disclosures of which are incorporated by referenceherein in their entireties. For example, still referring to FIG. 1B thestorage level 130L includes storage sections having at least oneintermediate shelf 1210. In the example shown, one storage sectionincludes one intermediate shelf 1210 while another storage sectionincludes two intermediate shelves 1210 for forming shelf levels130LS1-130LS4. In one aspect the pitch Z1 between storage levels 130Lmay be any suitable pitch such as, for example, about 32 inches to about34 inches while in other aspects the pitch may be more than about 34inches and/or less than about 32 inches. Any suitable number of shelvesmay be provided between the decks 1200S of adjacent vertically tackedstorage levels 130L where the shelves have the same or differing pitchesbetween the shelves (see e.g. FIG. 1C where case units CUD1, CUD2,CUE1-CUE3, CUF1, CUF2 are located in a vertical stack on one side of thepicking aisle and case units CUA, CUB, CUC are located in a verticalstack on an opposite side of the picking aisle on storage shelves havinga substantially similar pitch).

In one aspect of the disclosed embodiment the storage or deck levels130L (e.g. the surface on which the bots 110 travel) are arranged at anysuitable predetermined pitch Z1 that is not, for example, an integermultiple of the intermediate shelf pitch(es) Z1A-Z1E. In other aspectsthe pitch Z1 may be an integer multiple of the intermediate shelf pitch,such as for example, the shelf pitch may be substantially equal to thepitch Z1 so that the corresponding storage space has a heightsubstantially equal to the pitch Z1. As may be realized, the shelf pitchZ1A-Z1E is substantially decoupled from the storage level 130L pitch Z1and corresponds to general case unit heights as illustrated in FIG. 1B.In one aspect of the disclosed embodiment case units of differentheights are dynamically allocated or otherwise distributed along eachaisle within a storage space 130S having a shelf height commensuratewith the case unit height. The remaining space between the storagelevels 130L, both along the length of the aisle coincident with thestored case unit (e.g. in the X direction with respect to the rack frameof reference REF2 where the X direction is the same in the bot frame ofreference REF as the bot travel through a picking aisle 130A) andalongside the stored case unit, being freely usable for dynamicallocation for cases of a corresponding height. As may be realized, thedynamic allocation of case units having different heights onto shelveshaving different pitches provides for stored case layers of differentheights, between storage levels 130L on both sides of each picking aisle130A, with each case unit being dynamically distributed along a commonpicking aisle 130A so that each case unit within each stored case layerbeing independently accessible (e.g. for picking/placing) by the bot inthe common aisle. This high density placement/allocation of case unitsand the arrangement of the storage shelves provides maximum efficiencyof storage space/volume use between the storage levels 130L, and henceof maximum efficiency of the rack module array RMA, with optimizeddistribution of case unit SKU's, as each aisle length may includemultiple case units of different heights, yet each rack shelf at eachshelf level may be filled by dynamic allocation/distribution (e.g. tofill the three dimensional rack module array RMA space in length, widthand height, to provide a high density storage array).

In one aspect, referring to FIGS. 1E and 6A each of the storage levels130L includes a single level of storage shelves to store a single levelof case units (e.g. each storage level includes a single case unitsupport plane CUSP) and the bots 110 are configured to transfer caseunits to and from the storage shelves of the respective storage level130L. For example, the bot 110′ illustrated in FIG. 6A is substantiallysimilar to bot 110 described herein however, the bot 110′ is notprovided with sufficient Z-travel of the transfer arm 110PA for placingcase units on the multiple storage shelf levels 130LS1-130LS4 (e.g.accessible from a common rail 1200S) as described above. Here thetransfer arm drive 250 (which may be substantially similar to one ormore of drive 250A, 250B) includes only sufficient Z-travel for liftingthe case units from the case unit support plane CUSP of the single levelof storage shelves, for transferring the case units to and from thepayload area 110PL and for transferring the case units between thefingers 273 of the transfer arm 110PA and the payload bed 110PB.Suitable examples of bots 110′ can be found in, for example, U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/326,993 filed on Dec. 15, 2011, the disclosureof which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In one aspect of the disclosed embodiment, referring also to FIG. 2A,the rack shelves 1210 (inclusive of the rack shelf formed by rail 1200)are sectioned SECA, SECB longitudinally (e.g. along the length of thepicking aisle 130A in the X direction, with respect to a storagestructure frame of reference REF2) to form ordered or otherwise matchedrack shelf sections along each picking aisle 130A. The aisle shelfsections SECA, SECB are ordered/matched to each other based on, forexample, a pick sequence of a bot 110 traversing the aisle in a commonpass picking case units destined for a common order fill (e.g. based onthe order out sequence). In other words, a bot 110 makes a single pass(e.g. traversal in a single direction) down a single or common pickingaisle while picking one or more case units from aisle shelf sectionsSECA, SECB on a common side of the picking aisle 130A to build apickface on the bot 110 where the pickface includes case units that arearranged on the bot according to the order fill/order out sequence aswill be described in greater detail below. Each of the aisle racksections SECA, SECB includes intermediate shelves in the mannerdescribed above. In other aspects some of the aisle shelves do notinclude intermediate shelves while others do include intermediateshelves.

In one aspect, the ordered aisle rack sections SECA, SECB include shelfpitches that are different between sections SECA, SECB. For example,aisle rack section SECA has shelves with one or more pitches while aislerack section SECB has shelves with one or more different pitches (e.g.different than the pitches of the shelves in section SECA). Inaccordance with the aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the pitch of atleast one intermediate shelf of one aisle rack section SECA, SECB isrelated to the pitch of at least one intermediate shelf of another ofthe ordered aisle rack sections SECA, SECB of the common picking aisle130A. The different pitches of the intermediate shelves 1210 in theordered aisle rack section SECA, SECB are selected so as to be relatedand to effect multiple (at least two) ordered picks (i.e. picks in anordered sequence) with a bot 110, in accordance with a mixed SKU loadout sequence (e.g. palletizing to a common pallet load), from shelves ofdifferent pitches, from a common pass of a common picking aisle 130A. Asmay be realized, the mixed load output from the storage and retrievalsystem 100 (e.g. to fill a truck loadport/pallet load) is sequenced in apredetermined order according to various load out picking aisles (e.g.aisles from which case units are picked for transfer to an outgoingpallet) and the shelf pitch in the ordered sections SECA, SECBfacilitates a bot 110 pick of more than one case unit in orderedsequence according to an order of the load out sequence in a commonpicking aisle pass (e.g. more than one case unit is picked in apredetermined order from a common picking aisle in one pass of thecommon picking aisle). The different aisle shelf pitches of the orderedrack sections SECA, SECB are so related to increase the probability ofsuch an ordered multi-pick (the picking of two or more case units from asingle aisle with a single pass of the aisle as described above) so thatthe multi-pick is performed by each bot order fulfillment pass alongeach aisle, and so related such that more than a majority of casespicked in the storage and retrieval system 100 by the bots 110 anddestined for a common load out (e.g. a common pallet load) are picked bya common bot 110 in an ordered sequence corresponding to the load outsequence during a single pass of a common picking aisle (e.g. the two ormore cases picked by the bot 110 are picked from the same picking aislein a single pass, e.g. the bot travels in a single direction oncethrough the picking aisle). As may be realized, in one aspect of thedisclosed embodiment both sides PAS1, PAS2 of the picking aisle 130Ahave ordered aisle rack sections SECA, SECB where one ordered sectionmay be matched with one or more sections on the same side PAS1, PAS2 ofthe common picking aisle 130A. As may be realized, the matched aislerack sections may be located adjacent one another or spaced apart fromone another along the picking aisle 130A.

Referring again to FIG. 2A each transfer deck or storage level 130Lincludes one or more lift pickface interface/handoff stations TS(referred to herein as interface stations TS) where case unit(s) (ofsingle or combined case pickfaces) or totes are transferred between thelift load handling devices LHD and bots 110 on the transfer deck 130B.The interface stations TS are located at a side of the transfer deck130B opposite the picking aisles 130A and rack modules RM, so that thetransfer deck 130B is interposed between the picking aisles and eachinterface station TS. As noted above, each bot 110 on each picking level130L has access to each storage location 130S, each picking aisle 130Aand each lift 150 on the respective storage level 130L, as such each bot110 also has access to each interface station TS on the respective level130L. In one aspect the interface stations are offset from high speedbot travel paths HSTP along the transfer deck 130B so that bot 110access to the interface stations TS is undeterministic to bot speed onthe high speed travel paths HSTP. As such, each bot 110 can move a caseunit(s) (or pickface, e.g. one or more cases, built by the bot) fromevery interface station TS to every storage space 130S corresponding tothe deck level and vice versa.

In one aspect the interface stations TS are configured for a passivetransfer (e.g. handoff) of case units (and/or pickfaces) between the bot110 and the load handing devices LHD of the lifts 150 (e.g. theinterface stations TS have no moving parts for transporting the caseunits) which will be described in greater detail below. For example,also referring to FIG. 2B the interface stations TS and/or bufferstations BS include one or more stacked levels TL1, TL2 of transfer rackshelves RTS (e.g. so as to take advantage of the lifting ability of thebot 110 with respect to the stacked rack shelves RTS) which in oneaspect are substantially similar to the storage shelves described above(e.g. each being formed by rails 1210, 1200 and slats 1210S) such thatbot 110 handoff (e.g. pick and place) occurs in a passive mannersubstantially similar to that between the bot 110 and the storage spaces130S (as described herein) where the case units or totes are transferredto and from the shelves. In one aspect the buffer stations BS on one ormore of the stacked levels TL1, TL2 also serve as a handoff/interfacestation with respect to the load handling device LHD of the lift 150. Inone aspect, where the bots, such as bots 110′, are configured for thetransfer of case units to a single level 130L of storage shelves, theinterface stations TS and/or buffer stations BS also include a singlelevel of transfer rack shelves (which are substantially similar to thestorage rack shelves of the storage levels 130L described above withrespect to, for example, FIG. 1D). As may be realized, operation of thestorage and retrieval system with bots 110′ serving the single levelstorage and transfer shelves is substantially similar to that describedherein. As may also be realized, load handling device LHD handoff (e.g.pick and place) of case units (e.g. individual case units or pickfaces)and totes to the stacked rack shelves RTS (and/or the single level rackshelves) occurs in a passive manner substantially similar to thatbetween the bot 110 and the storage spaces 130S (as described herein)where the case units or totes are transferred to and from the shelves.In other aspects the shelves may include transfer arms (substantiallysimilar to the bot 110 transfer arm 110PA shown in FIG. 6, although Zdirection movement may be omitted when the transfer arm is incorporatedinto the interface station TS shelves) for picking and placing caseunits or totes from one or more of the bot 110 and load handling deviceLHD of the lift 150. Suitable examples of an interface station with anactive transfer arm are described in, for example, U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/757,354 filed on Apr. 9, 2010, the disclosure ofwhich is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

In one aspect, the location of the bot 110 relative to the interfacestations TS occurs in a manner substantially similar to bot locationrelative to the storage spaces 130S. For example, in one aspect,location of the bot 110 relative to the storage spaces 130S and theinterface stations TS occurs in a manner substantially similar to thatdescribed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/327,035 filed on Dec.15, 2011 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,008,884) and Ser. No. 13/608,877 filed onSep. 10, 2012 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,954,188), the disclosures of whichare incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. For example,referring to FIGS. 1 and 1D, the bot 110 includes one or more sensors110S that detect the slats 1210S or a locating feature 130F (such as anaperture, reflective surface, RFID tag, etc.) disposed on/in the rail1200. The Slats and/or locating features 130F are arranged so as toidentify a location of the bot 110 within the storage and retrievalsystem, relative to e.g. the storages spaces and/or interface stationsTS. In one aspect the bot 110 includes a controller 110C that, forexample, counts the slats 1210S to at least in part determine a locationof the bot 110 within the storage and retrieval system 100. In otheraspects the location features 130F may be arranged so as to form anabsolute or incremental encoder which when detected by the bot 110provides for a bot 110 location determination within the storage andretrieval system 100.

As may be realized, referring to FIG. 2B, the transfer rack shelves RTSat each interface/handoff station TS define multi-load stations (e.g.having one or more storage case unit holding locations for holding acorresponding number of case units or totes) on a common transfer rackshelf RS. As noted above, each load of the multi-load station is asingle case unit/tote or a multi-case pickface (e.g. having multiplecase units/totes that are moved as a single unit) that is picked andpaced by either the bot or load handling device LHD. As may also berealized, the bot location described above allows for the bot 110 toposition itself relative to the multi-load stations for picking andplacing the case units/totes and pickfaces from a predetermined one ofthe holding locations of the multi-load station. The interface/handoffstations TS define multi-place buffers (e.g. buffers having one or morecase holding location—see FIG. 4B—arranged along, for example, the Xaxis of the bot 110 as the bot 110 interfaces with the interface stationTS) where inbound and/or outbound case units/totes and pickfaces aretemporarily stored when being transferred between the bots 110 and theload handling devices LHD of the lifts 150.

In one aspect one or more peripheral buffer/handoff stations BS(substantially similar to the interface stations TS and referred toherein as buffer stations BS) are also located at the side of thetransfer deck 130B opposite the picking aisles 130A and rack modules RM,so that the transfer deck 130B is interposed between the picking aislesand each buffer station BS. The peripheral buffer stations BS areinterspersed between or, in one aspect as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B,otherwise in line with the interface stations TS. In one aspect theperipheral buffer stations BS are formed by rails 1210, 1200 and slats1210S and are a continuation of (but a separate section of) theinterface stations TS (e.g. the interface stations and the peripheralbuffer stations are formed by common rails 1210, 1200). As such, theperipheral buffer stations BS, in one aspect, also include one or morestacked levels TL1, TL2 of transfer rack shelves RTS as described abovewith respect to the interface stations TS while in other aspects thebuffer stations include a single level of transfer rack shelves. Theperipheral buffer stations BS define buffers where case units/totesand/or pickfaces are temporarily stored when being transferred from onebot 110 to another different bot 110 on the same storage level 130L aswill be described in greater detail below. As maybe realized, in oneaspect the peripheral buffer stations are located at any suitablelocation of the storage and retrieval system including within thepicking aisles 130A and anywhere along the transfer deck 130B.

Still referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B in one aspect the interface stationsTS are arranged along the transfer deck 130B in a manner akin to parkingspaces on the side of a road such that the bots 110 “parallel park” at apredetermined interface station TS for transferring case units to andfrom one or more shelves RTS at one or more levels TL1, TL2 of theinterface station TS. In one aspect, a transfer orientation of the bots110 (e.g. when parallel parked) at an interface station TS is the sameorientation as when the bot 110 is travelling along the high speed bottransport path HSTP (e.g. the interface station is substantiallyparallel with a bot travel direction of the transfer deck and/or a sideof the transfer deck on which the lifts 150 are located). Bot 110interface with the peripheral buffer stations BS also occurs by parallelparking so that a transfer orientation of the bots 110 (e.g. whenparallel parked) at a peripheral buffer station BS is the sameorientation as when the bot 110 is travelling along the high speed bottransport path HSTP.

In another aspect, referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, at least the interfacestations TS are located on an extension portion or pier 130BD thatextends from the transfer deck 130B. In one aspect, the pier 130BD issimilar to the picking aisles where the bot 110 travels along rails1200S affixed to horizontal support members 1200 (in a mannersubstantially similar to that described above). In other aspects, thetravel surface of the pier 130BD may be substantially similar to that ofthe transfer deck 130B. Each pier 130BD is located at the side of thetransfer deck 130B, such as a side that is opposite the picking aisles130A and rack modules RM, so that the transfer deck 130B is interposedbetween the picking aisles and each pier 130BD. The pier(s) 130BDextends from the transfer deck at a non-zero angle relative to at leasta portion of the high speed bot transport path HSTP. In other aspectsthe pier(s) 130BD extend from any suitable portion of the transfer deck130B including the ends 130BE1, 130BE2 of the transfer deck 130BD. Asmay be realized, peripheral buffer stations BSD (substantially similarto peripheral buffers stations BS described above) may also be locatedat least along a portion of the pier 130BD.

Referring now to FIGS. 4A, 4B and 5, as described above, in one aspectthe interface stations TS are passive stations and as such the loadtransfer device LHD of the lifts 150A, 150B have active transfer arms orpick heads 4000A, 4000B. In one aspect the inbound lift modules 150A andthe outbound lift modules 150B have different types of pick heads (aswill be described below) while in other aspects the inbound lift modules150A and the outbound lift modules 150B have the same type of pick headsimilar to one of the pick heads described below (e.g. both the lifts150A, 150B have pick head 4000A or both lifts 150A, 150B have pick head4000B). The pick heads of the lifts 150A, 150B may, at least in part,define the Y throughput axis as described herein. In one aspect, boththe inbound and outbound lift modules 150A, 150B have a vertical mast4002 along which a slide 4001 travels under the motive force of anysuitable drive unit 4002D (e.g. connected to, for example, controlserver 120) configured to lift and lower the slide (and the pick head4000A, 4000B mounted thereto). The inbound lift module(s) 150A include apick head 4000A mounted to the slide 4001 so that as the slide movesvertically the pick head 4000A moves vertically with the slide 4001. Inthis aspect the pick head 4000A includes one or more tines or fingers4273 mounted to a base member 4272. The base member 4272 is movablymounted to one or more rail 4360S of frame 4200 which in turn is mountedto the slide 4001. Any suitable drive unit 4005, such as a belt drive,chain drive, screw drive, gear drive, etc. (which is substantiallysimilar in form but may not be similar in capacity to drive 4002D as thedrive 4005 may be smaller than drive 4002D) is mounted to the frame 4200and coupled to the base member 4272 for driving the base member 4272(with the finger(s)) in the direction of arrow 4050.

The outbound lift module(s) 150B also include a pick head 4000B mountedto the slide 4001 so that as the slide moves vertically the pick head4000B moves vertically with the slide 4001. In this aspect the pick head4000B includes one or more pick head portions or effectors (e.g.transfer arms) LHDA, LHDB each having one or more tines or fingers 4273mounted to a respective base member 4272A. Each base member 4272A ismovably mounted to one or more rail 4360SA of frame 4200A which in turnis mounted to the slide 4001. Any suitable drive unit(s) 4005A, such asa belt drive, chain drive, screw drive, gear drive, etc. is mounted tothe frame 4200A and coupled to a respective base member 4272A fordriving the respective base member 4272A (with the finger(s)) in thedirection of arrow 4050 (each effector has a respective drive unit sothat each effector is independently movable in the direction of arrow4050). While two effectors LHDA, LHDB are illustrated on pick head 4000Bthe pick head 4000B includes any suitable number of effectors thatcorrespond to a number of case unit/pickface holding locations of, forexample, the interface stations TS so that case units/pickfaces areindividually picked from the interface stations TS as described ingreater detail below.

As may be realized, the lift modules 150A, 150B are under the control ofany suitable controller, such as control server 120, such that whenpicking and placing case unit(s) the pick head is raised and/or loweredto a predetermined height corresponding to an interface station TS at apredetermined storage level 130L. As may be realized, the lift modules150A, 150B provide the Z throughput axis (relative to both the bot frameof reference REF and the rack frame of reference REF2) of the storageand retrieval system where the output lift modules 150B sort case unitson the fly for delivery to the output stations 160US as will bedescribed below. At the interface stations TS the pick head 4000A, 4000Bor individual portion thereof (e.g. effector LHDA, LHDB), correspondingto one or more case unit holding location(s) of the interface station TSfrom which one or more case unit(s) are being picked, is extended sothat the fingers 4273 are interdigitated between the slats 1210S (asillustrated in FIG. 4B) underneath the case unit(s) being picked. Thelift 150A, 150B raises the pick head 4000A, 4000B to lift the caseunit(s) from the slats 1210S and retracts the pick head 4000A, 4000B fortransport of the case unit(s) to another level of the storage andretrieval system, such as for transporting the case unit(s) to outputstation 160UT. Similarly, to place one or more case unit(s) the pickhead 4000A, 4000B or individual portion thereof (e.g. effector LHDA,LHDB), corresponding to one or more case unit holding location(s) of theinterface station TS from which one or more case unit(s) are beingplaced, is extended so that the fingers 4273 are above the slats. Thelift 150A, 150B lowers the pick head 4000A, 4000B to place the caseunit(s) on the slats 1210S and so that the fingers 4273 areinterdigitated between the slats 1210S underneath the case unit(s) beingpicked.

Referring now to FIG. 6, as noted above, the bot 110 includes a transferarm 110PA that effects the picking and placement of case units from thestacked storage spaces 130S, interface stations TS and peripheral bufferstations BS, BSD defined at least in part, in the Z direction) by one ormore of the rails 1210A-1210C, 1200 (e.g. where the storage spaces,interface stations and/or peripheral buffer stations may be furtherdefined in the X and Y directions, relative to either of the rack frameof reference REF2 or the bot frame of reference REF, through the dynamicallocation of the case units as described above). As may be realized,the bot defines the X throughput axis and, at least in part, the Ythroughput axis (e.g. relative to the bot frame of reference REF) aswill be described further below. The bots 110, as noted above, transportcase units between each lift module 150 and each storage space 130S on arespective storage level 130L. The bots 110 include a frame 110F havinga drive section 110DR and a payload section 110PL. The drive section110DR includes one or more drive wheel motors each connected to arespective drive wheel(s) 202 for propelling the bot 110 along the Xdirection (relative to the bot frame of reference REF so as to definethe X throughput axis). As may be realized, the X axis of bot travel iscoincident with the storage locations when the bot 110 travels throughthe picking aisles 130A. In this aspect the bot 110 includes two drivewheels 202 located on opposite sides of the bot 110 at end 110E1 (e.g.first longitudinal end) of the bot 110 for supporting the bot 110 on asuitable drive surface however, in other aspects any suitable number ofdrive wheels are provided on the bot 110. In one aspect each drive wheel202 is independently controlled so that the bot 110 may be steeredthrough a differential rotation of the drive wheels 202 while in otheraspects the rotation of the drive wheels 202 may be coupled so as torotate at substantially the same speed. Any suitable wheels 201 aremounted to the frame on opposite sides of the bot 110 at end 110E2 (e.g.second longitudinal end) of the bot 110 for supporting the bot 110 onthe drive surface. In one aspect the wheels 201 are caster wheels thatfreely rotate allowing the bot 110 to pivot through differentialrotation of the drive wheels 202 for changing a travel direction of thebot 110. In other aspects the wheels 201 are steerable wheels that turnunder control of, for example, a bot controller 110C (which isconfigured to effect control of the bot 110 as described herein) forchanging a travel direction of the bot 110. In one aspect the bot 110includes one or more guide wheels 110GW located at, for example, one ormore corners of the frame 110F. The guide wheels 110GW may interfacewith the storage structure 130, such as guide rails (not shown) withinthe picking aisles 130A, on the transfer deck 130B and/or at interfaceor transfer stations for interfacing with the lift modules 150 forguiding the bot 110 and/or positioning the bot 110 a predetermineddistance from a location to/from which one or more case units are placedand/or picked up as described in, for example, U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/326,423 filed on Dec. 15, 2011 the disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety. As noted above, thebots 110 may enter the picking aisles 130A having different facingdirections for accessing storage spaces 130S located on both sides ofthe picking aisles 130A. For example, the bot 110 may enter a pickingaisle 130A with end 110E2 leading the direction of travel or the bot mayenter the picking aisle 130A with end 110E1 leading the direction oftravel.

The payload section 110PL of the bot 110 includes a payload bed 110PB, afence or datum member 110PF, a transfer arm 110PA and a pusher bar ormember 110PR. In one aspect the payload bed 110PB includes one or morerollers 110RL that are transversely mounted (e.g. relative to alongitudinal axis LX of the bot 110) to the frame 110F so that one ormore case units carried within the payload section 110PL can belongitudinally moved (e.g. justified with respect to a predeterminedlocation of the frame/payload section and/or a datum reference of one ormore case units) along the longitudinal axis of the bot, e.g., toposition the case unit at a predetermined position within the payloadsection 110PL and/or relative to other case units within the payloadsection 110PL (e.g. longitudinal forward/aft justification of caseunits). In one aspect the rollers 110RL may be driven (e.g. rotatedabout their respective axes) by any suitable motor for moving the caseunits within the payload section 110PL. In other aspects the bot 110includes one or more longitudinally movable pusher bar (not shown) forpushing the case units over the rollers 110RL for moving the caseunit(s) to the predetermined position within the payload section 110PL.The longitudinally movable pusher bar may be substantially similar tothat described in, for example, U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/326,952 filed on Dec. 15, 2011, the disclosure of which waspreviously incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. The pusherbar 110PR is movable in the Y direction, relative to the bot 110reference frame REF to effect, along with the fence 110PF and or pickhead 270 of the transfer arm 110PA, a lateral justification of caseunit(s) within the payload area 110PL in the manner described in U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/107,135 filed on Jan. 23, 2015,previously incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Still referring to FIG. 6, the case units are placed on the payload bed110PB and removed from the payload bed 110PB with the transfer arm 110PAalong the Y throughput axis. The transfer arm 110PA includes a liftmechanism or unit 200 located substantially within the payload section110PL as described in, for example, U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 62/107,135 filed on Jan. 23, 2015, previously incorporated herein byreference in their entireties. The lift mechanism 200 provides bothgross and fine positioning of pickfaces carried by the bot 110 which areto be lifted vertically into position in the storage structure 130 forpicking and/or placing the pickfaces and/or individual case units to thestorage spaces 130S (e.g. on a respective storage level 130L on whichthe bot 110 is located). For example, the lift mechanism 200 providesfor picking and placing case units at the multiple elevated storageshelf levels 130LS1-130LS4, TL1, TL2 accessible from the common pickingaisle or interface station deck 1200S (see e.g. FIGS. 1B, 2B and 3B).

The lift mechanism 200 is configured so that combined robot axis movesare performed (e.g. combined substantially simultaneous movement of thepusher bar 110PR, lift mechanism 200, pick head extension and fore/aftjustification mechanism(s) such as, e.g., the longitudinally movablepusher bar described above), so that different/multi-sku or multi-pickpayloads are handled by the bot. In one aspect, the actuation of thelifting mechanism 200 is independent of actuation of the pusher bar110PR as will be described below. The decoupling of the lift mechanism200 and pusher bar 110PR axes provides for combined pick/place sequenceseffecting a decreased pick/place cycle time, increased storage andretrieval system throughput and/or increased storage density of thestorage and retrieval system as described above. For example, the liftmechanism 200 provides for picking and placing case units at multipleelevated storage shelf levels accessible from a common picking aisleand/or interface station deck 1200S as described above.

The lifting mechanism may be configured in any suitable manner so that apick head 270 of the bot 110 bi-directionally moves along the Z axis(e.g. reciprocates in the Z direction—see FIG. 6). In one aspect, thelifting mechanism includes a mast 200M and the pick head 270 is movablymounted to the mast 200M in any suitable manner. The mast is movablymounted to the frame in any suitable manner so as to be movable alongthe lateral axis LT of the bot 110 (e.g. in the Y direction so as todefine the Y throughput axis). In one aspect the frame includes guiderails 210A, 210B to which the mast 200 is slidably mounted. A transferarm drive 250A, 250B may be mounted to the frame for effecting at leastmovement of the transfer arm 110PA along the lateral axis LT (e.g. Yaxis) and the Z axis. In one aspect the transfer arm drive 250A, 250Bincludes an extension motor 301 and a lift motor 302. The extensionmotor 301 may be mounted to the frame 110F and coupled to the mast 200Min any suitable manner such as by a belt and pulley transmission 260A, ascrew drive transmission (not shown) and/or a gear drive transmission(not shown). The lift motor 302 may be mounted to the mast 200M andcoupled to pick head 270 by any suitable transmission, such as by a beltand pulley transmission 271, a screw drive transmission (not shown)and/or a gear drive transmission (not shown). As an example, the mast200M includes guides, such as guide rails 280A, 280B, along which thepick head 270 is mounted for guided movement in the Z direction alongthe guide rails 280A, 280B. In other aspects the pick head is mounted tothe mast in any suitable manner for guided movement in the Z direction.With respect to the transmissions 271, a belt 271B of the belt andpulley transmission 271 is fixedly coupled to the pick head 270 so thatas the belt 271 moves (e.g. is driven by the motor 302) the pick head270 moves with the belt 271 and is bi-directionally driven along theguide rails 280A, 280B in the Z direction. As may be realized, where ascrew drive is employed to drive the pick head 270 in the Z direction, anut may be mounted to the pick head 270 so that as a screw is turned bythe motor 302 engagement between the nut and screw causes movement ofthe pick head 270. Similarly, where a gear drive transmission isemployed a rack and pinion or any other suitable gear drive may drivethe pick head 270 in the Z direction. In other aspects any suitablelinear actuators are used to move the pick head in the Z direction. Thetransmission 260A for the extension motor 301 is substantially similarto that described herein with respect to transmission 271.

Still referring to FIG. 6 the pick head 270 of the bot 110 transferscase units between the bot 110 and a case unit pick/place location suchas, for example, the storage spaces 130S, peripheral buffer stations BS,BSD and/or interface stations TS (see FIGS. 2A-3B) and in other aspectssubstantially directly between the bot 110 and a lift module(s) 150. Inone aspect, the pick head 270 includes a base member 272, one or moretines or fingers 273A-273E and one or more actuators 274A, 274B. Thebase member 272 is mounted to the mast 200M, as described above, so asto ride along the guide rails 280A, 280B. The one or more tines273A-273E are mounted to the base member 272 at a proximate end of thetines 273A-273E so that a distal end of the tines 273A-273E (e.g. a freeend) is cantilevered from the base member 272. Referring again to FIG.1D, the tines 273A-273E are configured for insertion between slats 1210Sthat form the case unit support plane CUSP of the storage shelves.

One or more of the tines 273A-273E is movably mounted to the base member272 (such as on a slide/guide rail similar to that described above) soas to be movable in the Z direction. In one aspect any number of tinesare mounted to the base member 272 while in the aspect illustrated inthe figures there are, for example, five tines 273A-273E mounted to thebase member 272. Any number of the tines 273A-273E are movably mountedto the base member 272 while in the aspect illustrated in the figures,for example, the outermost (with respect to a centerline CL of the pickhead 270) tines 273A, 273E are movably mounted to the base member 272while the remaining tines 273B-273D are immovable relative to the basemember 272.

In this aspect the pick head 270 employs as few as three tines 273B-273Dto transfer smaller sized case units (and/or groups of case units) toand from the bot 110 and as many as five tines 273A-273E to transferlarger sized case units (and/or groups of case units) to and from thebot 110. In other aspects, less than three tines are employed (e.g. suchas where more than two tines are movably mounted to the base member 272)to transfer smaller sized case units. For example, in one aspect all butone tine 273A-273E is movably mounted to the base member so that thesmallest case unit being transferred to and from the bot 110 withoutdisturbing other case units on, for example, the storage shelves has awidth of about the distance X1 between slats 1210S (see FIG. 1D).

The immovable tines 373B-373D define a picking plane SP of the pick head270 and are used when transferring all sizes of case units (and/orpickfaces) while the movable tines 373A, 373E are selectively raised andlowered (e.g. in the Z direction with the actuators 274A, 274B) relativeto the immovable tines 373B-373D to transfer larger case units (and/orpickfaces). Still referring to FIG. 6 an example is shown where all ofthe tines 273A-273E are positioned so that a case unit support surfaceSF of each tine 273A-273E is coincident with the picking plane SP of thepick head 270 however, as may be realized, the two end tines 273A, 273Eare movable so as to be positioned lower (e.g. in the Z direction)relative to the other tines 273B-273D so that the case unit supportsurface SF of tines 273A, 273E is offset from (e.g. below) the pickingplane SP so that the tines 273A, 273E do not contact the one or morecase units carried by the pick head 270 and do not interfere with anyunpicked case units positioned in storage spaces 130S on the storageshelves or any other suitable case unit holding location.

The movement of the tines 273A-273E in the Z direction is effected bythe one or more actuators 274A, 274B mounted at any suitable location ofthe transfer arm 110PA. In one aspect, the one or more actuators 274A,274B are mounted to the base member 272 of the pick head 270. The one ormore actuators are any suitable actuators, such as linear actuators,capable of moving one or more tines 273A-273E in the Z direction. In theaspect illustrated in, for example, FIG. 6 there is one actuator 274A,274B for each of the movable tines 273A, 273E so that each moveable tineis independently movable in the Z direction. In other aspects oneactuator may be coupled to more than one movable tine so that the morethan one movable tine move as a unit in the Z direction.

As may be realized, movably mounting one or more tines 273A-273E on thebase member 272 of the pick head 270 provides for full support of largecase units and/or pickfaces on the pick head 270 while also providingthe ability to pick and place small case units without interfering withother case units positioned on, for example, the storage shelves,interface stations and/or peripheral buffer stations. The ability topick and place variably sized case units without interfering with othercase units on the storage shelves, interface stations and/or peripheralbuffer stations reduces a size of a gap GP (see FIG. 1B) between caseunits on the storage shelves. As may be realized, because the tines273B-273D are fixed to the base member 272 there is no duplicativemotion when picking/placing case units as the lifting and lowering ofcase units and/or pickfaces to and from the case unit holding locationis effected solely by the lift motor 301, 301A.

Referring again to FIG. 6, it is again noted that the pusher bar 110PRis movable independent of the transfer arm 110PA. The pusher bar 110PRis movably mounted to the frame in any suitable manner such as by, forexample, a guide rod and slide arrangement and is actuated along the Ydirection (e.g. in a direction substantially parallel to theextension/retraction direction of the transfer arm 110PA). In one aspectat least one guide rod 360 is mounted within the payload section 110PLso as to extend transversely relative to the longitudinal axis LX of theframe 110F. The pusher bar 110PR may include at least one slide member360S configured to engage and slide along a respective guide rod 360. Inone aspect, at least the guide rod/slide arrangement holds the pusherbar 110PR captive within the payload section 110PL. The pusher bar 110PRis actuated by any suitable motor and transmission, such as by motor 303and transmission 303T. In one aspect the motor 303 is a rotary motor andthe transmission 303T is a belt and pulley transmission. In otheraspects the pusher bar 110PR may be actuated by a linear actuator havingsubstantially no rotary components.

The pusher bar 110PR is arranged within the payload section 110PL so asto be substantially perpendicular to the rollers 110RL and so that thepusher bar 110PR does not interfere with the pick head 270. As can beseen in FIG. 10B, the bot 110 is in a transport configuration where atleast one case unit would be supported on the rollers 110RL (e.g. therollers collectively form the payload bed). In the transportconfiguration the tines 273A-273E of the pick head 270 areinterdigitated with the rollers 110RL and are located below (along the Zdirection) a case unit support plane RSP (see FIG. 10) of the rollers110RL. The pusher bar 110PR is configured with slots 351 (FIG. 10C) intowhich the tines 273A-273E pass where sufficient clearance is providedwithin the slots 351 to allow the tines to move below the case unitsupport plane RSP and to allow free movement of the pusher bar 110PRwithout interference from the tines 273A-273E. The pusher bar 110PR alsoincludes one or more apertures through which the rollers 110RL passwhere the apertures are sized to allow free rotation of the rollersabout their respective axes. As may be realized, the independentlyoperable pusher bar 110PR does not interfere with the rollers 110PR,extension of the transfer arm 110PA in the transverse direction (e.g. Ydirection) and the lifting/lowering of the pick head 270.

As noted above, because the pusher bar 110PR is a separate, standaloneaxis of the bot 110 that operates free of interference from the pickhead 270 extension and lift axes, the pusher bar 110PR can be operatedsubstantially simultaneously with the lifting and/or extension of thetransfer arm 110PA. The combined axis moves (e.g. the simultaneousmovement of the pusher bar 110PR with the transfer arm 110PA extensionand/or lift axes) provides for increased payload handling throughput inalong the Y throughput axis and effects the ordered (e.g. according tothe predetermined load out sequence) multi-pick of two or more caseunits from a common picking aisle, in one common pass of the pickingaisle. For example, referring to FIGS. 10-10A during a transfer arm110PA multi-pick/place sequence the pusher bar 110PR is prepositioned(as the case unit(s) and/or pickface are being picked and transferredinto the payload section 110PL) to a location that is a predetermineddistance X2 away from the contact depth X3 (e.g. the depth of the tinesoccupied by the case unit(s) and/or pickface CU when being picked/placedfrom a storage space or other case unit holding location) (FIG. 14,Block 1100). The distance X2 is a minimized distance that only allowssufficient clearance between pusher bar 110PR and the case unit(s) toallow the case unit(s) to be seated on the rollers 110RL. As the caseunit(s) CU are lowered onto the rollers 110RL (FIG. 14, Block 1110) thedistance travelled by the pusher bar 110PR to contact the case unit(s)CU is a shorter distance X2 when compared to moving from a back side 402(relative to the lateral direction and an access side 401 of the payloadsection 110PL) of the payload section 110PL a distance X4 as withconventional transport vehicles. When the case unit(s) CU are lowered bythe transfer arm 110PA and transferred to the rollers 110RL so as to besolely supported by the rollers 110RL, the pusher bar 110PR is actuatedto forward (relative to the lateral direction and an access side 401 ofthe payload section 110PL) justify the case unit(s) CU (FIG. 14, Block1120). For example, the pusher bar 110PR may push the case unit(s) CUlaterally in the Y direction so that the case unit(s) contact the fence110PF (which is located at the access side 401 of the payload section110PL so that a case unit reference datum may be formed through contactbetween the case unit(s) CU and the fence 110PF. In one aspect thepusher bar 110PR may engage or otherwise grip the case unit(s) CU duringtransport of the case units (e.g. so as to hold the case unit(s) againstthe fence 110PF) for maintaining the case unit(s) CU in a predeterminedspatial relationship with each other and a reference frame REF (FIG. 6)of the bot 110 (FIG. 14, Block 1130). When placing the case unit(s) thepusher bar 110PR, after justifying the case unit(s) CU against the fence110PF, is withdrawn (e.g. in the Y direction) from contact with the caseunit(s) CU (FIG. 14, Block 1140). Substantially immediately after thepusher bar 110PR disengages the case unit(s) CU one or more of the liftaxis (e.g. in the Z direction) and extension axis (e.g. in the Ydirection) of the transfer arm 110PA are actuated substantiallysimultaneously with the withdrawing movement of the pusher bar 110PR(FIG. 14, Block 1150). In one aspect both the lift and extension axesare actuated when the pusher bar is withdrawn from contact with the caseunit(s) CU while in other aspect one of the lift and extension axes isactuated. As may be realized, the simultaneous movement of the transferarm 110PA lift axis and/or extension axis with the withdrawal of thepusher bar 110PR as well as the decreased distance the pusher moves tojustify the case unit(s) CU decreases the time needed to transfer caseunit(s) CU to and from the bot 110 and increases throughput of thestorage and retrieval system 100.

As described herein, referring to FIGS. 2A, 2B and 12, each bot 110 isconfigured to transport pickfaces between the picking aisles 130A andthe transfer/handoff stations TS and buffer stations BS. In one aspect,the control server 120 is configured to command the bot 110, and effectwith the bot 110 outbound flow (which may also be referred to as orderfulfillment stream, outbound stream(s) or order fulfillment) sortationof case order(s) independent of the pick order of cases from the storagearea by the bot 110 forming a pickface. In one aspect, the botcontroller 110C is configured to command the bot 110, and effect withthe bot 110 outbound flow sortation of case order(s) independent of thepick order of cases from the storage area by the bot 110 forming apickface. In still other aspects, the control server 120 and the botcontroller 110C are both configured to command the bot 110, and effectwith the bot 110 outbound flow sortation of case order(s) independent ofthe pick order of cases from the storage area by the bot 110 forming apickface. Thus, the control server 120 and/or the bot controller 110Cis/are configured to set the outbound case flow, at least in part withbot 110 sortation of the cases carried in common by the both 110 anddecoupled from the pick order of the cases by the bot 110 from storage.As may be realized, in one aspect, each bot 110 is configured totransport pickfaces between a first pickface interface station (e.g.transfer/handoff station TS and/or buffer station BS) and a secondpickface interface station (e.g. transfer/handoff station TS and/orbuffer station BS that is spaced apart from the first pickface interfacestation) where, as described herein, the bot 110 picks a first pickfacefrom the first interface station, traverses the transfer deck 130B andplaces/buffers the first pickface, or at least a portion thereon, at thesecond pickface interface location so that the second pickface interfacestation has multiple pickfaces buffered on a common support/surface CSin an ordered sequence of pickfaces according to a predetermined caseout order sequence of mixed case pickfaces. As will be described below,the bot 110 is configured to transfer a first pickface PCF1 having anysuitable number of case units therein from the picking aisles 130A (or atransfer station TS or a buffer station BS) and place second pickfacePCF2, that is different than the first pickface PCF1, onto a commonsurface CS (such as of a rack shelf RTS) of the transfer/handoff stationTS (or buffer station BS) that is common to both the bot 110 and thelift 150B. This may be referred to for description purposes as outboundflow sortation with the bot at transfer stations (and/or at bufferstations). As will also be described below, the first and secondpickfaces, in one aspect, have at least one case unit that is common toboth the first and second pickfaces. In one aspect, as described herein,the bot 110 is configured to build the first pickface (e.g. at least oneof the multiple pickfaces) on the fly, e.g. during traverse (e.g. whilethe bot is moving) from a first pick location in the picking aisles 130Ato placement of the second pickface at the transfer/handoff station TS(or buffer station BS), in a multi-pick/place sequence. In anotheraspect, the bot 110 is configured to build the first pickface (e.g. atleast one of the multiple pickfaces placed on the common surface CS) onthe fly, e.g. during traverse (e.g. while the bot is stationary at thesecond pickface interface station or the second pickface interfacestation buffer) from the first pick location to the transfer/handoffstation TS (or buffer station BS), in a multi-pick/place sequence. Asmay be realized, where the pickfaces are picked, e.g. by the bot 110,from a first pickface interface station, such as a transfer station TSor buffer station BS and placed at the second pickface interfacestation, such as another transfer station TS or buffer station BS thepickface bypasses storage (e.g. is not placed in a storage space 130Sbefore delivery to the second pickface interface station). In otheraspects, at least a portion of the pickface picked from the firstpickface interface station is placed in a storage space 130S (e.g. inthe storage rack array RMA) by the bot 110 before transport to thesecond pickface interface station. In one aspect, the pickface pickedfrom an inbound transfer station TS (or buffer station BS) may be thesame pickface that is placed at an outbound transfer station TS (orbuffer station BS) (i.e. the pickface is not broken up during transportfrom the inbound transfer station TS/buffer station BS and the outboundtransfer station TS/buffer station BS where the transport between theinbound and outbound stations may or may not include placement of thepickface in storage).

The controller 110C of the bot 110 is configured to effect the on thefly building of the first pickface (or any other pickface picked by thebot 110). In one aspect the bot 110 is configured, as described herein,to build the pickface onboard the bot 110 such as, for example, in thepayload section 110PL where case units/pickfaces are picked by the botand arranged in the payload section in a predetermined order orsequence. In one aspect, the bot 110 is also configured to pick/build apickface PCF3 that is different than the first pickface PCF1 and placethe different pickface PCF3 on a shelf (such as another rack shelf RTSstacked above or below the rack shelf forming the common surface CS) ofthe transfer/handoff station TS (or buffer station BS). The bot 110includes case manipulation, as described herein. The bot has picked thefirst pickface PCF1 and is configured to further pick the secondpickface PCF2 from one or more case units (forming the differentpickface PCF3) from the rack shelf RTS (or other location such as astorage shelf in the picking aisles) and place the different pickfacePCF3 on the common surface CS. As may be realized, the lift 150B, in oneaspect is configured to pick the second pickface PCF2 from thetransfer/handoff station TS. In other aspects, the lift 150 isconfigured, as described herein, to pick a third pickface PCF4 from thecommon surface CS (such as the rack transfer shelf RTS) of thetransfer/handoff station TS (or buffer station BS) where the thirdpickface PCF4 is different than the first and second pickfaces PCF1,PCF2 and the common case is common to the first, second and thirdpickfaces PCF1, PCF2, PCF4. As may be realized, the second interfacestation (such as the transfer station TS or buffer station BS) forms acommon pickface transfer interface for the lift 150 so that the commonlysupported pickfaces are picked in common with the lift 150. It is notedthat the ability of the lift 150 to pick individual pickfaces, as notedabove, from different deck levels effects sorting of the pickfaces inthe Z throughput axis.

In one aspect of the disclosed embodiment, as may be realized, in themulti-pick/place sequence multiple case units are substantiallysimultaneously carried and manipulated (e.g. so as to form one or morepickfaces) within the payload section 110PL to further increasethroughput of the storage and retrieval system 100 and to effect themulti-pick/place sequence in accordance with a predetermined order outsequence. Referring also to FIG. 1, the bot receives pick and placecommands from, for example, control server 120 (and/or warehousemanagement system 2500) and the bot controller 110C executes thosecommands for forming the ordered multi-pick. Here the bot 110 enters thecommon aisle 130A1 from, for example, the transfer deck 130B for makinga single or common pass through the picking aisle 130A1 during which thebot 110 picks two or more case units according to the predeterminedorder out sequence (FIG. 15, Block 1201A). In one aspect themanipulation of the case units CU is a sorting of the case units (inother words picking and placing of case units according to thepredetermined load out sequence) where the cases are positioned on thetransfer arm 110PA for picking/placement of the case units and/orpositioned so that the case units are not transferred and remain on thetransfer arm 110PA while other case units are transferred to and fromthe transfer arm 110PA. Here, the bot 110 travels through the commonpicking aisle 130A1 in the direction of arrow XC and stops at apredetermined storage space 130S1, according to the predetermined orderout sequence, where the bot 110 picks one or more case units from thepredetermined storage space 130S1 with a common transfer arm 110PA whereplacement of the case units on the common transfer arm 110PA correspondsto the predetermined order out sequence as will be described in greaterdetail below (e.g. the case units are sorted on-the-fly, e.g. duringtransport, with the bot 110).

As an example of case manipulation on the bot 110, referring also toFIGS. 10B-10E, case unit(s) CUA may be picked from a case unit holdinglocation (e.g. such as storage spaces 130S in a common picking aisle foreffecting the ordered multi-pick, and in other aspects from a liftinterface station TS, and/or a case unit buffer station BS located in apicking aisle or on the transfer deck) and transferred into the payloadsection 110PL (FIG. 15, Block 1201B). As the case unit(s) CUA is beingtransferred into the payload section 110PL the pusher bar 110PR may bepre-positioned (FIG. 15, Block 1204) adjacent the fence 110PF so thatthe pusher bar 110PR is positioned between the case unit(s) CUA and thefence 110PF when the case unit(s) CUA is lowered for transfer to therollers 110RL (FIG. 15, Block 1205). The pusher bar 110PR is actuated topush the case unit(s) CUA (resting on the rollers 110RL) in the Ydirection towards the back (e.g. rear) 402 of the payload section 110PLso that the case unit(s) CUA contacts a justification surface 273JS(FIG. 10) of the tines 273A-273E and is justified to the back 402 of thepayload section 110PL (FIG. 15, Block 1210).

In one aspect, the bot 110 continues to traverse the common pickingaisle 130A1 in the same direction XC (e.g. so that all of the case unitsin the ordered multi-pick are picked in the common pass of the pickingaisle with the bot 110 travelling in a single direction) and stops atanother predetermined storage space 130S according to the predeterminedorder out sequence. As noted above, the pusher bar 110PR remains incontact with (e.g. grips) the case unit(s) CUA during transport of thecase unit(s) between case unit holding locations so that the caseunit(s) CUA remains in a predetermined location at the back 402 of thepayload section 110PL (and/or at a predetermined locationlongitudinally) relative to the reference frame REF of the bot 110 (FIG.15, Block 1215). To pick subsequent case units, from for example, theother storage space 130S2 of the common picking aisle 130A1 the pusherbar 110PR is moved in the Y direction to disengage the case unit(s) CUAand the lift and extension axes of the transfer arm 110PA are actuatedto retrieve another case unit(s) CUB from the other storage space 130S2(or in other aspects from e.g. a lift/handoff interface station TSand/or a buffer/handoff station BS as noted above) (FIG. 15, Block1220). While the case unit(s) CUB are being picked the pusher bar 110PRis positioned in the Y direction adjacent the back 402 of the payloadsection 110PL so as to be located between the case units CUA and thejustification surface 273JS of the tines 273A-273E (FIG. 15, Block1225). The case unit(s) CUB are transferred into the payload section andlowered/placed on the rollers 110RL (FIG. 15, Block 1230) so that thecase units CUA, CUB are arranged relative to each other along the Yaxis. The pusher bar 110PR is actuated in the Y direction to push thecase units CUA, CUB towards the fence 110PF to forward justify the caseunits CUA, CUB (FIG. 15, Block 1234) and grip/hold the case units CUA,CUB for transport (FIG. 15, Block 1235). As may be realized, in oneaspect the case units CUA, CUB are placed at a case unit holdinglocation together as a unit while in other aspects the case units CUA,CUB are sorted, e.g. transported to and placed at separate positions ofa common case unit holding location or at different case unit holdinglocations (FIG. 15, Block 1240) as will be described in greater detailbelow. For example, referring also to FIGS. 7-9, the bot 110 carryingthe ordered multi-pick payload transfers the case units of the orderedmulti-pick to one or more interface stations TS (which include buffershelves 7000A-7000L) corresponding to output lifts 150B1, 150B2.

As may be realized, in one aspect where the bots 110 “parallel park”into an interface station TS (FIG. 7) or turn into a pier 130BD (FIG. 8)the spacing between bots travelling on the high speed bot travel pathHSTP of the transfer deck 130B (FIG. 2A) is such that the botinterfacing with the interface station TS is able to slow down and turninto the interface station TS substantially without interference fromand/or interference with another bot 110 travelling along the transferdeck 130B. In other aspects, the bots travelling on the transfer deckmay drive around the bots turning into the interface stations as thetransfer deck(s) 130B is substantially open and configured for theundeterministic traversal of bots 110 across and along the transferdeck(s) 130B as described above. Where the case units of the multi-pickare placed at different positions of, for example, a common buffer shelfof interface/handoff station 7000A-7000L of the lifts 150B1, 150B2 thebot 110 places a first one of the case units CUB (corresponding to, forexemplary purposes pickface 7 in FIG. 9 which in this example includes asingle case unit) in a first position of the buffer shelf 7000B andplaces the second one of the case units CUA (corresponding to, forexemplary purposes pickface 5 in FIG. 9 which in this example includes asingle case unit) in a second position of the buffer shelf 7000B. Wherethe case units of the multi-pick are placed at a common case unitholding location the bot 110 places both case units CUA, CUB as a unit(e.g. a pickface) at for example, a common position of buffer shelf7000A (corresponding to, for exemplary purposes pickface 9 in FIG. 9which in this example, includes two case units).

Where the case units CUA, CUB are sorted (FIG. 15, Block 1250) forplacement at separate positions of a common case holding location or atdifferent case holding locations, the case units CUA, CUB are separatedfrom each other in the payload section 110PL. For example, the pick head270 of the transfer arm 110PA may be moved in the Z direction to liftthe case units CUA, CUB from the rollers 110RL by an amount sufficientto allow the pusher bar 110PR to pass beneath the case unit(s) (FIG. 16,Block 1250A). As the case units CUA, CUB are lifted the pusher bar 110PRis positioned along the Y direction so as to be located between the caseunits CUA, CUB (see FIG. 10E) (FIG. 16, Block 1250B). The pick head 270is lowered so that the case units CUA, CUB are transferred to therollers 110RL and so that the pusher bar is inserted between the caseunits CUA, CUB (FIG. 16, Block 1250C). The pusher bar 110PR is moved inthe Y direction (e.g. to separate the case unit(s)) to move case unit(s)CUA towards the back 402 of the payload section 110PL (e.g. against thejustification surface 273JS of the tines 273A-273E or any other suitableposition) while the case unit(s) CUB remain at the front of the payloadsection 110PL adjacent the fence 110PF (e.g. as shown in FIG. 10C) (FIG.16, Block 1250D). As may be realized, where the case units are heldagainst the justification surface 273JS of the tines during transport,the pusher bar is moved in the Y direction (e.g. to separate the caseunit(s)) to move case unit(s) CUB towards the front 401 of the payloadsection 110PL (e.g. against the fence 110PF or any other suitableposition) while the case unit(s) CUA remain at the back of the payloadsection 110PL adjacent the justification surface 273JS. The pusher bar110PR may also be moved in the Y direction to re-justify the caseunit(s) CUB against the fence 110PF to position the case unit(s) on thetines 273A-273E for placement at a case unit holding location (FIG. 16,Block 1250E). As may be realized, with the case unit(s) CUA beingpositioned substantially against the justification surface 273JS of thetines 273A-273E (e.g. of the pick head 270) the case unit(s) CUB can beplaced at a case unit holding location substantially withoutinterference from the case unit(s) CUA (FIG. 16, Block 1250F), e.g. thecase unit CUA is free from contacting case units disposed at the caseunit holding location. The case unit(s) CUA is lowered/transferred backinto the payload section 110PL (e.g. by retracting and lowering thetransfer arm 110PA) (FIG. 16, Block 1250G). The pusher bar 110PR, whichis pre-positioned between the justification surface 273JS and the caseunit(s) CUA, pushes the case unit(s) CUA, which is disposed on therollers 110RL, against the fence 110PF to forward justify the caseunit(s) CUA for placement at another case unit holding location (e.g.different than the holding location that case unit(s) CUB were placed)(FIG. 16, Block 1250H). The pusher bar 110PR remains against the caseunit(s) CUA for gripping (e.g. with the fence) the case unit(s) duringtransport to the other case unit holding location (FIG. 16, Block1250I). The pusher bar 110PR moves away from the case unit(s) CUA andthe transfer arm is actuated to lift and extend the pick head 270 forplacing the case unit(s) CUA at the other case unit holding location(FIG. 16, Block 1250J).

An example of a bot 110 case unit(s) transfer transaction including acase unit(s) multi-pick and place operation with on the fly sortation ofthe case units for creating a mixed pallet load MPL (as shown in FIG.1F) and/or to fill the predetermined order sequence of picked items inone or more bag(s), tote(s) or other container(s) TOT at an operatorstation or cell 160EP (as shown in FIG. 26, such as to e.g., fill acustomer order) according to a predetermined order out sequence will bedescribed with respect to FIGS. 9 and 11-13 in accordance with anaspects of the disclosed embodiment. For example, referring to FIG. 11 acustomer order may require case unit(s) 7 to be delivered to output lift150B1 and case units 5 to also be delivered to output lift 150B1 (inother aspects, it is noted that customer orders may require case unitscarried by a common bot 110 to be delivered to different output lifts150B1, 150B2 (FIG. 9) such that the transfer of the case units carriedby the common bot 110 to different output lifts occurs in a mannersubstantially similar to that described herein). In the aspects of thedisclosed embodiment described herein the output lift 150B1 (e.g. eachof the output lifts 150B1, 150B2 of the storage and retrievalsystem/order fulfillment system) defines a fulfillment course or pathway(also referred to as a stream) of mixed case pickfaces outbound from thestorage array to a load fill where the mixed case pickfaces enter andexit the fulfillment course in substantially the same order. As may berealized, while the input and output lifts 150A, 150B are described asvertically reciprocating lifts it should be understood that in otheraspects the input and output lifts 150A, 150B are any suitable transportmodules for transporting case pickfaces to and from the storagestructure 130 (e.g. between a respective pickface interface station,such as transfer station TS or buffer station BS, and a respective oneof an input station 160IN, e.g. an input cell, and an output station160UT, e.g. a load fill section/cell). For example, in other aspects thelift modules 150A, 150B are one or more of vertically reciprocatinglifts, any suitable automated material handling systems, conveyors,bots, turntables, roller beds, multilevel vertical conveyor (e.g.paternoster conveyor) that operate synchronously or asynchronously. Toefficiently use each bot 110 in the storage and retrieval system 100 thecontroller, such as control server 120, determines which pickingaisle(s) case units 5, 7 are located. The controller also determineswhich inbound case unit(s) ICU are to be stored in the picking aisle(s)from which case units 5, 7 (e.g. the outbound case units) are to bepicked. The controller sends commands to a bot 110 on a level where caseunits 5, 7 are located to pick one or more inbound case units ICU froman interface station TS of one or more lift modules 150A in a mannersimilar to that described above (FIG. 17, Block 1400A). The bot 110grips the case unit(s) ICU (FIG. 17, Block 1420) and transports the caseunit(s) to one or more storage space 130 within one or more pickingaisle 130A2 (FIG. 17, Block 1421) where at least one of the pickingaisles in which the inbound case units are placed includes one of theoutbound case units 5, 7. As may be realized, where the inbound caseunits are placed at different storage locations 130S the inbound caseunits are sorted (FIG. 17, Block 1425) as described above where one ormore case unit(s) are transferred to one case unit holding location,such as a storage space 130S or buffer, (FIG. 17, Block 1430) while caseunits that are not transferred are returned to the payload section ofthe bot 110 for transfer to another case unit holding location (FIG. 17,Block 1435).

As may be realized, the outbound case units 5, 7 are located in the sameor different picking aisles and are retrieved by one bot 110 ordifferent bots 110 depending on a proximity of the outbound case unitsand the predetermined storage position(s) of the inbound case unit(s).For example, referring to FIG. 11, the bot 110 picks an inbound caseunit ICU from interface station TS of lift module 150A for placement inpicking aisle 130A2 (in a manner substantially similar to that describedabove), which is the aisle case unit 5 is located. Case unit 7 in thisexample is located in picking aisle 130A1. After placement of theinbound case unit ICU the bot continues to travel along picking aisle130A2 in a common pass (e.g. a single traversal of the picking aisle ina single direction) to pick the outbound case unit 5 (FIG. 17, Block1400). Where it is more efficient to have a single bot 110 pick multiplecase units, the outbound case unit 5 is justified on the bot 110 asdescribed above (FIG. 17, Block 1405) and the bot travels to thelocation of another case unit, such as outbound case unit 7 in aisle130A1 (it is noted that where a second outbound case is located in acommon aisle with the first outbound case both outbound case units arepicked in a common pass of the picking aisle with the common transferarm 110PA (FIG. 6) of the bot 110). The second outbound case unit(s) 7is picked with the common transfer arm 110PA (FIG. 17, Block 1410) andboth case units 5, 7 are transferred and placed at one or more ofperipheral buffer station BS and interface station TS of a pickfacetransport system such as lift module 150B (FIG. 17, Blocks 1420-1435) ina manner substantially similar to that described above with respect tothe placement of the inbound case unit(s). Where is it more efficient tohave a two different bots 110 pick a respective one of case units 5, 7after picking the respective outbound case (FIG. 17, Block 1400) thecase unit is gripped (FIG. 17, Block 1420) and transferred to and placedat one of the peripheral buffer station BS or the interface station TSof outbound lift 150B (FIG. 17, Block 1421-1435) as described herein. Inone aspect, where an outbound case unit, such as case unit 5 is placedat a peripheral buffer station BS a different bot 110, than the bot thatplaced the case unit 5 at the peripheral buffer station BS, transfersthe case unit 5 to the interface station TS while in other aspects thesame bot 110 returns to the peripheral buffer station BS to transfercase unit 5 to the interface station TS. In the aspects of the disclosedembodiment described herein, the buffer stations BS and/or the transferstations TS (e.g. at least one pickface handoff station) commonlysupports more than one of the mixed case pickfaces defining a portion ofthe mixed case pickfaces outbound from the storage array/structure 130entering the fulfillment course in an ordered sequence of pickfacesbased on a predetermined sequence of the load fill. In one or more ofthe aspects of the disclosed embodiment described herein, the bufferstation BS and/or transfer stations TS forms a common pickface transferinterface for the outbound lift(s) 150B1, so that the commonly supportedpickfaces are picked in common with the outbound lift(s) 150B1. In oneor more of the aspects of the disclosed embodiment described herein,each of the buffer stations BS and/or transfer stations TS commonlysupports more than one of the mixed case pickfaces defining a portion ofthe mixed case pickfaces outbound from the storage array (see forexemplary purposes only pickfaces 1-4 in FIG. 9) in an ordered sequenceof pickfaces based on the predetermined sequence of the load fill. Inone or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment described herein, themixed case pickfaces defining the portion of the mixed case pickfacesoutbound from the storage array/structure 130 in the ordered sequenceand commonly supported on the buffer station BS and/or transfer stationTS is based on an ordered sequence of pickfaces on another bufferstation BS and/or transfer station TS of another fulfillment course (seee.g. the mixed cases outbound from the outbound lift 150B2). In one ormore aspects of the disclosed embodiment, any suitable controller, suchas controller 120 is in communication with the bot(s) 110 and isconfigured to effect placement of pickfaces on the buffer station BS andor transfer station TS based on the ordered sequence of pickfaces.

In one aspect the outbound case units are picked and transferred as aunit (e.g. a pickface) by a common transfer arm 110PA (FIG. 6) of bot110. Referring now to FIG. 12 again a customer order may require caseunit(s) 7 to be delivered to output lift 150B1 and case units 5 to alsobe delivered to output lift 150B1 (in other aspects, it is noted thatcustomer orders may require case units carried by a common bot 110 to bedelivered to different output lifts 150B1, 150B2 (FIG. 9) such that thetransfer of the case units carried by the common bot 110 to differentoutput lifts occurs in a manner substantially similar to that describedherein). As described above, the controller determines which inboundcase unit(s) ICU are to be stored in the picking aisle(s) from whichcase units 5, 7 (e.g. the outbound case units) are to be picked. Thecontroller sends commands to a bot 110 on a level where case units 5, 7are located to pick one or more inbound case units ICU as a unit (e.g.pickface) from an interface station TS of a lift module 150A in a mannersimilar to that described above (FIG. 17, Block 1400A). The bot 110grips the pickface PF1 (FIG. 17, Block 1420), transports the pickfacePF1 to a storage space 130 within the picking aisle 130A2 (FIG. 17,Block 1421) where the outbound case units 5, 7 are located and placesthe pickface PF1 into a storage space 130S (FIG. 17, Block 1430). It isnoted that since the whole pickface is transferred to a common storagespace and no case units are left on the bot that the flow, in thisexample, does not proceed to block 1435 of FIG. 17.

After placing the inbound pickface PF1, the bot 110 continues to travelthrough aisle 130A2 in a common pass (e.g. a single traversal of thepicking aisle in a single direction) to the storage space holdingoutbound case units 5, 7 (which are arranged on the storage shelvesadjacent one another so as to be picked simultaneously as outboundpickface PF2). The bot 110 picks pickface PF2 with the common transferarm 110PA (FIG. 6) (FIG. 17, Block 1415), grips the pickface PF2 (FIG.17, Block 1420) and transports the pickface PF2 (FIG. 17, Block 1421) tothe outbound lift 150B1. In one aspect the case units 5, 7 of thepickface PF2 are placed at one of the peripheral buffer station BS orthe interface station TS as a unit (FIG. 17, Block 1430). In anotheraspect the case units 5, 7 of the pickface are separated and justified(in a manner similar to that described above) for placement in differentlocations (FIG. 17, Block 1425). For example, bot 110 places case unit 7at the peripheral buffer station BS (FIG. 17, Block 1430), returns caseunit 5 to the payload area of the bot 110 (FIG. 17, Block 1435), gripsthe case unit 5 (FIG. 17, Block 1420), transports the case unit 5 to theinterface station TS (FIG. 17, Block 1421) and transfers the case unit 5to the interface station (FIG. 17, Block 1430).

In another aspect, referring to FIG. 13, the outbound case units 5, 7are picked from different storage locations within a common aisle 130A2with the common transfer arm 110PA (FIG. 6 of the bot 110. Here, the bot110 transfers one or more inbound case units ICU to one or more storagelocations in the manner described above where at least one of theinbound case units ICU is located in a common picking aisle 130A2 withthe outbound case units 5, 7. After placing at least one inbound caseunit at a predetermined storage location 130S of aisle 130A2 the bot 110continues to travel through picking aisle 130A1, in a common pass of thepicking aisle 130A2, and picks case unit 5 from storage space 130S1 inthe manner described above (FIG. 17, Block 1400). The case unit(s) 5 isjustified on the bot 110 towards the rear of the payload section 110PLas described above (FIG. 17, Block 1405). The bot 110 continues totravel through the picking aisle 130A1 in a common pass of the pickingaisle and picks case unit 7 from a different storage space 130S2 withthe common transfer arm 110PA so that both case unit(s) 7, 5 are locatedadjacent one another on the common transfer arm 110PA (FIG. 17, Block1410). As may be realized, in one aspect, the controller 110C isconfigured to effect picking of the case unit(s) in any suitable ordersuch as, for example, an order that is opposite an order in which thecase unit(s) are placed.

In this multi-pick example, the case unit holding location(s) correspondto storage spaces 130S of the picking aisles 130 but in other aspectsthe case unit holding location(s) include input lift modules 150A1,150A2 (where a direct transfer between bots and the lift occurs),interface or peripheral buffer stations TS, BS for interfacing with theinput lift modules 150A1, 150A2, (where an indirect transfer between thelift modules and the bots occurs) and storage spaces 130S (picking fromthe interface stations TS and the input lift modules 150A with the bot110 is noted where case units are needed for a predetermined order outsequence are not located in the storage spaces 130S but are being inputinto the storage rack array in a just in time manner to be deliveredsubstantially directly to the output lift(s) 150B1, 150B2).

The bot 110 grips both case units 7, 5 within the payload section 110PLin the manner described above and exits the picking aisle 130A1 (FIG.17, Block 1420). The bot travels along the transfer deck 130B andinterfaces with output lift 150B1 (FIG. 17, Block 1421). The botseparates the case units 7, 5 within the payload section 110PL, asdescribed above, so that case unit(s) in any suitable manner such as,for example, so that case unit(s) 7 is justified towards the front ofthe payload section 110PL and case unit(s) 5 is justified towards theback of the payload section 110PL (FIG. 17, Block 1425). The case unit 7is transferred to the peripheral buffer station BS (FIG. 17, Block1430). The bot retracts the transfer arm 110PA to return the caseunit(s) 5 to the payload section 110PL (FIG. 17, Block 1435) and gripsthe case unit 5 (FIG. 17, Block 1420). The case unit(s) 5 is transportedto the interface station TS of output lift 150B1 (FIG. 17, Block 1421),justified toward the front of the payload section 110PL (FIG. 17, Block1425), as described above, and transferred to transfer station TS, asdescribed above (FIG. 17, Block 1430). In other aspects, depending onthe predetermined case unit output sequence, the bot 110 places bothcase unit(s) 7, 5 at a common location/position, such as at one ofoutput lifts 150B1, 150B2. For example, pickface 20 on shelf 7000H (FIG.9) may include both case units 7, 5 such that the bot 110 places bothcase units as a multi-case unit pickface at a single position of shelf7000H. As may be realized, the case unit(s) placed at the buffer stationBS are, in one aspect, transferred to the interface station TS by a bot110 or, in other aspects, by any suitable conveyor that connects thebuffer station BS to the interface station TS. In one aspect, where thecase unit(s) are transferred from the buffer station BS to the interfacestation TS by a bot 110 that transfer is an opportunistic transfer suchthat a bot 110 travelling along the transfer deck, for example, in routefor another task (e.g. transferring pickface(s) to storage, sortingpickfaces, transferring pickface(s) from storage, etc.) travelling bythe buffer station BS stops to pick the pickface from the buffer stationBS and transfer the pickface to the interface station TS while in theprocess of performing the other task.

An example of a bot 110 case unit(s) transfer transaction including acase unit(s) multi-pick and place operation with on the fly sortation ofthe case units for creating a mixed pallet load MPL (as shown in FIG.1F) according to a predetermined order out sequence will be describedwith respect to FIGS. 9 and 24 in accordance with an aspects of thedisclosed embodiment. The transfer of pickfaces with respect to FIGS. 9and 24 is substantially similar to that described above with respect toFIGS. 11-13, however, in this aspect the storage of the pickfaces isbypassed such that pickfaces are transferred substantially directlybetween the inbound and outbound lifts 150A, 150B1. In one aspect, a botpicks a first pickface 5 from a first shelf of a first pickface handoffstation such as transfer station TS of inbound lift 150A where theinbound lift 150A transfers one or more pickfaces/cases on the pickfacehandoff station (FIG. 23, Block 2300). The bot 110 traverses thetransfer deck 130B and buffers the first pickface 5 (or a portionthereof) on a second shelf of a second pickface handoff station such as,for example, buffer station BS of the transfer station TS at theoutbound lift 150B1 (FIG. 23, Block 2310). In other aspects, the firstpickface 5 (or a portion thereof) is buffered at the transfer station TSof the outbound lift 150B1 rather than at the buffer station BS. The bot110 forms a second pickface 5, 7 at the second shelf, the secondpickface being different than the first pickface 5 and comprising morethan one case in ordered sequence corresponding to a predetermined caseout order sequence of mixed cases where the first pickface 5 and thesecond pickface 5, 7 have at least one case in common (FIG. 23, Block2320). In one aspect the lift 150B1 picks the second pickface 5, 7 fromthe second shelf, such as the buffer station BS or transfer station TS(FIG. 23, Block 2330). In one aspect, the bot 110 forms the secondpickface 5, 7 at the second shelf (e.g. the buffer station BS ortransfer station TS) on the fly during transport of the first pickface 5between the first shelf and the second shelf. In one aspect the botforms the second pickface 5, 7 onboard of the autonomous transportvehicle. In one aspect the bot 110 forms the second pickface 5, 7 at thesecond shelf or at a buffer portion of the second shelf. In one aspectthe bot 110 places at least a portion of the first pickface (such aswhere pickface 5 includes more than one case) picked from the firstshelf on a storage rack of a storage array (such as in storage spaces130S) before transporting at least the portion of the first pickface tothe second shelf. In one aspect the second shelf forms a common pickfacetransfer interface for the vertically reciprocating lift, the methodfurther comprising picking in common, with the vertically reciprocatinglift, the commonly supported pickfaces.

While the bot 10 in FIG. 24 is illustrated picking one case/pickface 5from the transfer station TS of the inbound lift 150A, in other aspectsthe bot 110 picks two (or more than two) inbound pickfaces such ascases/pickfaces 5, 7. Here, in one aspect, the bot 110 places onepickface 5 on the outbound buffer station BS (or outbound transferstation TS), then moves to another shelf location (such as anotheroutbound buffer or transfer station BS, TS or an adjacent location on acommon buffer or transfer station BS, TS shelf) to place the secondpickface 7. In one aspect the lift 150B1 removes the pickface(s) 5, 7from the buffer or transfer station BS, TS as described herein. Inanother aspect, the bot 110 places both pickfaces 5, 7 on the outboundbuffer or transfer station BS, TS shelf. Here the lift 150B1 picks oneof the pickfaces 5, 7 and transports the pickface 5, 7 to the outputstation 160UT. The lift 150B1 returns to the buffer or transfer stationBS, TS shelf and picks the other pickface 5, 7 for transfer to theoutput station 160UT. In still another aspect, the bot 110 places bothpickfaces 5, 7 at the outbound buffer or transfer station BS, TS shelfwhere the lift 150B1 picks both pickfaces 5, 7 for transfer to theoutput station 160UT. Here the pickface 5, 7 are singulated or handledtogether in any suitable for building a mixed pallet as illustrated inFIG. 1F.

In the examples described herein the transfer of case units between thebots 110 and the lifts 150 occurs passively through the interfacestations TS as described above. As an example of the transfer, referringto FIG. 18, the autonomous transport vehicle is positioned relative tothe interface station TS in a manner similar to that described abovewith respect to the slats 1210S and/or a locating features 130F (FIG.18, Block 1800). The transfer arm 110PA (e.g. end effector) of the bot110 extends to transfer a pickface to the interface station TS where thefingers 273A-273E of the transfer arm 110PA interface with, for example,the slats 1210S of the interface station TS (FIG. 18, Block 1801). Asmay be realized, and as noted above, multiple pickfaces may be placed onthe interface station TS (e.g. multiple individual pickfaces aresimultaneously held on the interface station) for simultaneous ofindependent transfer to the lift 150. The lift 150 is moved to positionthe load handling device LHD, LHDA, LHDB adjacent the interface stationTS (FIG. 18, Block 1802). The load handling device LHD, LHDA, LHDB isextended to lift the pickface from the interface station and transferthe pickface to the lift 150 where the fingers 4273 of the load handlingdevice LHD, LHDA, LHDB interface with the slats 1210S of the interfacestation TS in the manner described above with respect to, for example,FIG. 4B (FIG. 18, Block 1803). As may be realized, the interface stationTS has no moving parts and the transfer of the pickface(s) between thebots 110 and the lifts 150 through the interface station TS is a passivetransfer. As may also be realized, transfer of pickfaces from the lifts150 to the bots 110 may occur in a manner substantially opposite thatdescribed above with respect to FIG. 18.

In one aspect, the pickface, built by the bot 110 (e.g. in the mannerdescribed above), that is transferred to (e.g. placed to), for example,the interface station TS (and/or buffer station BS) is not the samepickface that is picked from the interface station TS (and/or bufferstation BS) by the vertical lift 150. For example, referring to FIG. 9,the bot 110 builds a first pickface from the storage spaces 130S withinthe rack modules RM (e.g. FIG. 2A) that includes individual pickfaces 7and 5 (FIG. 19, Block 1900). The bot 110 transfers the first pickface toand places the first pickface on, for example, shelf 7000B of interfacestation TS for transfer to a vertical lift 150 (FIG. 19, Block 1910). Asmay be realized, while in this example, the individual pickfaces 5, 7(e.g. forming the first pickface) are placed on a common shelf 7000B forexemplary purposes only, in other aspects the individual pickfaces 5, 7are placed on different shelves 7000A-7000F so that the pickface placedon the shelves by the bot 110 is different than the first pickface butincludes at least one case unit in common with the first pickface. Forexample, the first pickface is broken up such that a different pickfaceincluding individual pickface 5 is placed on shelf 7000B while anotherdifferent pickface including individual pickface 7 is placed on, forexample, shelf 7000H. A vertical lift, such as lift 150B1 picks a secondpickface from one or more shelves 7000A-7000F (e.g. common to both thebot 110 and the vertical lift 150B1) of the transfer stations TS (FIG.19, Block 1920). Here the second pickface is different than the firstpickface but includes at least one of the individual pickfaces 5, 7 sothat at least one case unit is common between the first pickface and thesecond pickface.

Similarly, in one aspect, the pickface that is transferred to (e.g.placed to), for example, the interface station TS (and/or buffer stationBS) by the inbound vertical lift 150 (see vertical lift 150A in FIG. 1)is not the same pickface that is picked from the interface station TS(and/or buffer station BS) by the bot 110. In one aspect, the controlserver 120 is configured to command the bot 110, and effect with the bot110 inbound flow (which may also be referred to as warehousereplenishment or inbound stream(s)) case sortation at a handoff stationTS (and/or buffer station BS) with the bot 110 forming a pickface,independent of the pick order of cases from an input station by the lift150. In one aspect, the bot controller 110C is configured to command thebot 110, and effect with the bot 110 inbound flow case sortation at thehandoff station TS (and/or buffer station BS) with the bot 110 formingthe pickface, independent of the pick order of cases from an inputstation by the lift 150. In still other aspects, the control server 120and the bot controller 110C are both configured to command the bot 110,and effect with the bot 110 inbound flow case sortation at the handoffstations TS (and/or buffer station BS) with the bot 110 forming thepickface, independent of the pick order of cases from an input stationby the lift 150. Thus, the control server 120 and/or the bot controller110C is/are configured to set the inbound case flow, at least in partwith bot 110 sortation of the cases carried in common by the both 110and decoupled from the pick order of the cases by the lift 150. This maybe referred to for description purposes as inbound flow case sortationwith the bot 110 at the handoff station TS (and/or buffer station BS).For example, referring to FIG. 9A, first pickfaces are transferred toone or more vertical lifts 150A1, 150A2 from the input station(s) 160INby the inbound conveyors 160CB (FIG. 20, Block 2000). In this example,one of the first pickfaces includes a combination of individualpickfaces 5, 7 while the other first pickface includes a combination ofindividual pickfaces 20, 22. The vertical lift 150A1 places therespective first pickface 5, 7 to shelf 7000B of interface station TSwhile vertical lift 150A2 places the other respective first pickface 20,22 to shelf 7000H of another interface station TS on the same storagelevel 130L (FIG. 20, Block 2010). The bot 110 builds or otherwise picksa second pickface(s) from the interface station(s) TS so that the firstpickface(s) placed on the shelve(s) 7000B, 7000H (e.g. common to boththe bot 110 and a respective vertical lift 150A) by the vertical lifts150A1, 150A2 is/are different than the second pickface but the secondpickface includes at least one case unit in common with the firstpickface (FIG. 20, Block 2020). For example, the first pickface 5, 7 isbroken up such that a different pickface including individual pickface 5(or individual pickface 7) is picked by the bot 110 and/or the otherfirst pickface 20, 22 is broken up such that a different pickfaceincluding individual pickface 20 (or individual pickface 22) is pickedby the bot 110. Here the second pickface is different than the firstpickface but includes at least one of the individual pickfaces of thefirst pickface so that at least one case unit is common between thefirst pickface and the second pickface. As may be realized, the secondpickface may be broken up by the bot so that a pickface placed on atleast one storage shelf with the 110 is different than the secondpickface and where at least one case unit is common between the secondpickface and the pickface placed on the at least one storage shelf.

The output lifts 150B1, 150B2 transfer the ordered multi-pick(s) placedon the shelves 7000A-7000L by the bots 110 to the output station 160UTalso in accordance with the predetermined order out sequence. Forexample, referring again to FIG. 9, the pickfaces 1-22 are picked by thelifts 150B1, 150B2 in sequenced order so that the pickfaces 1-22 aredelivered to the output station 160UT in the predetermined order(indicated by, for example, the number associated with each caseunit/pickface illustrated in FIG. 9) needed to form the mixed palletload MPL (FIG. 1F) and/or to fill the predetermined order sequence ofpicked items in one or more bag(s), tote(s) or other container(s) TOT atan operator station 160EP (such as to fill e.g., a customer order). Assuch, each of the interface stations TS of each lift 150B1, 150B2 formsa buffer that holds one or more case unit(s) until the case unit(s) areneeded and picked by the respective lift 150B1, 150B2 for forming themixed pallet load.

In one aspect, the storage and retrieval system 100 described herein iseffected by providing a storage array RMA with rack storage spaces 130Sarrayed on racks along aisles 130A (FIG. 25, Block 2500). At least onetransfer deck 130B communicably connected with each of the aisles 130Ais also provided (FIG. 25, Block 2505). At least one autonomoustransport vehicle or bot 110 is provided and is configured for holdingat least one pickface and traversing the at least one transfer deck 130Band aisles 130A, and having an extendable effector or transfer arm 110PAfor picking and placing the at least one pickface to and from one of therack storage spaces 130S (FIG. 25, Block 2510). Pickface transport axesX, Y of the storage array are defined with the aisles 130A, the at leastone transfer deck 130B, the at least one autonomous transport vehicle110, traversing thereon, and the extendable effector 110PA, such thatpickfaces are transported along the pickface transport axes X, Y betweenan inbound section of the automated storage and retrieval system 160IN,where pickfaces inbound to the storage array are generated, and a loadfill section of the automated storage and retrieval system 160UT, whereoutbound pickfaces from the storage array are arranged to fill a load inaccordance with a predetermined load fill order sequence. On the flysortation of mixed case pickfaces is effected (FIG. 25, Block 2520)coincident with transport on at least one of the pickface transport axesX, Y with the storage racks and the autonomous transport vehicle 110 incombination, so that two or more of the at least one pickface are pickedfrom one or more of the rack storage spaces 130S and placed at one ormore pickface holding locations (such as, for example, transfer orbuffer stations TS, BS), different than the one or more of the rackstorage spaces 130S, according to the predetermined load fill ordersequence. In one aspect the controller 120 (which is operably connectedto the at least one autonomous transport vehicle as described above)manages the pickface transport axes X, Y, Z wherein the pickfacetransport axes includes a plurality of transport axes. As describedabove, the plurality of pickface transport axes X, Y, Z are oriented inat least two directions angled relative to each other. As also describedabove, one of the plurality of pickface transport axes Y is defined byextension of the extendable effector 110PA and is in a differentdirection angled relative to another of the plurality of pickfacetransport axes X defined by the autonomous transport vehicle 110traverse along the picking aisle 130A. In one aspect, as describedabove, on the fly sortation is effected, with the racks and the at leastone autonomous transport vehicle in combination, coincident withtransport on at least one of each of the plurality of pickface transportaxes. In one aspect the lifts 150 define another pickface transport axisZ of the storage array. As described herein on the fly sortation ofmixed case pickfaces is effected by the lifts 150 coincident withtransport on the other pickface transport axis so that two or more ofthe pickfaces are picked from one or more deck levels and transported tothe load fill section according to the predetermined load fill ordersequence.

Referring now to FIGS. 21, 22A and 22B, in one aspect the transfer ofpickfaces from the input station 160IN to the output station 160UToccurs without pickface transfer by the bots 110. For example, referringto FIG. 21 the conveyors 160CA, 160CB of the input and output stations160IN, 160UT are arranged so that each lift 150 serves both the inputand output stations 160IN, 160UT. For example, conveyor 160CA1 of inputstation 160IN1 and conveyor 160CB1 of output station 160UT1 are bothserved by lifts 150A1, 150B1. As may be realized, each conveyor 160CA1,160CB1 are located at different levels (in a manner similar to thatdescribed above with respect to the shelves of the buffer and transferstations BS, TS) of a common lift 150A1, 150B1 so that pickfaces can bepicked from one conveyor 160CA1, 160CB1 by the common lift 150A1, 150B1at one level and transferred to the other conveyor 160CA1, 160CB1 atanother level. Here pickfaces are substantially directly transferred, bythe lifts 150A1, 150B1, from one conveyor 160CA1, 160CB1 (e.g. frominput station 160IN1 to output station 160UT1) while bypassing the bots110 and storage structure 130. As may be realized, in one aspect thepickfaces from input station 160IN1 are placed on the shelves buffer ortransfer stations BS, TS by the common lift 150A1, 150B1 for sorting thepickfaces, as described above, before transferring the pickfaces to theoutput conveyor 160CB1. Referring to FIGS. 22A and 22B, in one aspectpickfaces are transferred from the input station 160IN to the outputstation 160UT, while bypassing the bots 110 and storage structure 130,through buffer lanes BL that communicably connect the input conveyors160CA to the output conveyors 160CB.

Referring to FIG. 27, in accordance with aspects of the disclosedembodiment, storage spaces arrayed on racks along picking aisles areprovided (FIG. 27, Block 1600). Multiple level decks are also provided(FIG. 27, Block 1610), where at least one deck level of the multiplelevel decks communicates with each aisle, where the multiple level decksand aisles define a rolling surface for an autonomous transport vehicleat each level of the multiple level decks. Racks at multiple rack levelsare accessed from a respective rolling surface that is common to themultiple rack levels (FIG. 27, Block 1620), where the racks are disposedalong at least one aisle at each level of the multiple level decks. Inone aspect, a vertical pitch between rack levels varies for a portion ofa respective aisle. In one aspect, the vertical pitch between at leasttwo rack levels of the portion of the respective aisle is related toanother vertical pitch between at least two other rack levels of anotheraisle portion of the respective aisle so that the autonomous transportvehicle effects multiple picks in an ordered sequence in a common aislepass. In one aspect, the vertical pitch between at least two rack levelsof the portion of the respective aisle is related to another verticalpitch between at least two other rack levels of another aisle portion ofthe respective aisle so that the vertical pitch and the other verticalpitch effects substantially filling a vertical space between themultiple deck levels with stored items.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, anautomated storage and retrieval system is provided. The automatedstorage and retrieval system including at least one autonomous transportvehicle, a transfer deck that defines a transport surface for the atleast one autonomous transport vehicle, at least one reciprocating lift,a first pickface interface station and a second pickface interfacestation connected to the transfer deck and spaced apart from each other,each pickface interface station forming a pickface transfer interfacingbetween the at least one autonomous transport vehicle on the transferdeck and the at least one reciprocating lift at each pickface interfacestation so that a pickface is transferred between the at least onereciprocating lift and the at least one autonomous transport vehicle ateach pickface interface station, wherein the at least one autonomoustransport vehicle is configured to pick a first pickface at the firstpickface interface station, traverse the transfer deck and buffer thefirst pickface, or at least a portion thereof, at the second pickfaceinterface station so that the at least a portion of the first pickfaceis buffered at the second pickface interface station for transport withthe outbound pickface transport system in an order sequence of pickfacesaccording to a predetermined case out order sequence of mixed casepickfaces.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theat least one autonomous transport vehicle is configured to buffer thefirst pickface, or at least a portion thereof, at the second pickfaceinterface station so that the second pickface interface station hasmultiple pickfaces buffered on a common support.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, atleast one of the multiple pickfaces at the second pickface interfacestation is different from the first pickface and includes a case that isfrom the first pickface.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theautonomous transport vehicle builds at least one of the multiplepickfaces at the second pickface interface station on the fly duringtransport of the first pickface between the first pickface interfacestation and the second pickface interface station.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theautonomous transport vehicle builds the at least one of the multiplepickfaces onboard of the autonomous transport vehicle.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theautonomous transport vehicle builds the at least one of the multiplepickfaces at the second pickface interface station or at a bufferportion of the common support of the second pickface interface stationbuffer.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, thefirst pickface is at least one of the multiple pickfaces at the secondpickface interface station.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theautomated storage and retrieval system comprises autonomous transportvehicle access aisles connected to the deck, and a storage array havingstorage racks arranged in multilevel shelves and distributed along theautonomous transport vehicle access aisles.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theautonomous transport vehicle is arranged so that at least anotherportion of the first pickface picked from the first pickface interfacestation is placed on a storage rack of the storage array beforetransport to the second pickface interface station.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, thesecond pickface interface station forms a common pickface transferinterface for the at least one reciprocating lift so that the commonlysupported pickfaces are picked in common with the at least onereciprocating lift.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, thetransfer deck is undeterministic and has multiple travel lanes.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, anautomated storage and retrieval system is provided. The automatedstorage and retrieval system including at least one autonomous transportvehicle, a transfer deck that defines a transport surface for the atleast one autonomous transport vehicle, at least one inbound pickfacetransport system disposed between an unload cell and a load fillsection, at least one outbound pickface transport system disposedbetween the unload cell and the load fill section, a first pickfaceinterface station, and a second pickface interface station connected tothe transfer deck and spaced apart from each other, each pickfaceinterface station forming a pickface transfer interfacing between the atleast one autonomous transport vehicle on the transfer deck and arespective one of the inbound pickface transport system and the outboundpickface transport system at each pickface interface station so that apickface is transferred between the respective one of the inboundpickface transport system and the outbound pickface transport system andthe at least one autonomous transport vehicle at each pickface interfacestation, wherein the at least one autonomous transport vehicle isconfigured to pick a first pickface at the first pickface interfacestation, traverse the deck and buffer the first pickface, or at least aportion thereof, at the second pickface interface station so that thesecond pickface interface station has multiple pickfaces buffered on acommon support in an order sequence of pickfaces according to apredetermined case out order sequence of mixed case pickfaces.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, atleast one of the multiple pickfaces at the second pickface interfacestation is different from the first pickface and includes a case that isfrom the first pickface.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theautonomous transport vehicle builds at least one of the multiplepickfaces at the second pickface interface station on the fly duringtransport of the first pickface between the first pickface interfacestation and the second pickface interface station.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theautonomous transport vehicle builds the at least one of the multiplepickfaces onboard of the autonomous transport vehicle.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theautonomous transport vehicle builds the at least one of the multiplepickfaces at the second pickface interface station or at a bufferportion of the common support of the second pickface interface stationbuffer.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, thefirst pickface is at least one of the multiple pickfaces at the secondpickface interface station.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theautomated storage and retrieval system comprises autonomous transportvehicle access aisles connected to the deck, and a storage array havingstorage racks arranged in multilevel shelves and distributed along theautonomous transport vehicle access aisles.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theautonomous transport vehicle is arranged so that at least anotherportion of the first pickface picked from the first pickface interfacestation is placed on a storage rack of the storage array beforetransport to the second pickface interface station.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, thesecond pickface interface station forms a common pickface transferinterface for the respective one of the inbound pickface transportsystem and the outbound pickface transport system so that the commonlysupported pickfaces are picked in common with the respective one of theinbound pickface transport system and the outbound pickface transportsystem.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, thetransfer deck is undeterministic and has multiple travel lanes.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, amethod for automated storage and retrieval is provided. The methodincluding picking, with an autonomous transport vehicle, a firstpickface from a first shelf of a first pickface handoff station,buffering, with the autonomous transport vehicle, the first pickface ona second shelf of a second pickface handoff station, forming a secondpickface at the second shelf, the second pickface being different thanthe first pickface and comprising more than one case in ordered sequencecorresponding to a predetermined case out order sequence of mixed caseswhere the first pickface and the second pickface have at least one casein common, and picking, with a reciprocating lift, the second pickfacefrom the second shelf.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, themethod comprises forming, with the autonomous transport vehicle, thesecond pickface at the second shelf on the fly during transport of thefirst pickface between the first shelf and the second shelf.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, themethod comprises forming, with the autonomous transport vehicle, thesecond pickface onboard of the autonomous transport vehicle.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, themethod comprises forming, with the autonomous transport vehicle, thesecond pickface at the second shelf or at a buffer portion of the secondshelf.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, themethod comprises placing, with the autonomous transport vehicle, atleast a portion of the first pickface picked from the first shelf on astorage rack of a storage array before transporting at least the portionof the first pickface to the second shelf.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, thesecond shelf forms a common pickface transfer interface for thereciprocating lift, the method further comprising picking in common,with the reciprocating lift, the commonly supported pickfaces.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, anautomated storage and retrieval system is provided. The automatedstorage and retrieval system including a storage array with rack storagespaces arrayed on racks along aisles, at least one transfer deckcommunicably connected with each of the aisles, at least one autonomoustransport vehicle configured for holding at least one pickface andtraversing the at least one transfer deck and aisles, and having anextendable effector for picking and placing the at least one pickface toand from one of the rack storage spaces, wherein the aisles, the atleast one transfer deck, the at least one autonomous transport vehicle,traversing thereon, and the extendable effector define pickfacetransport axes of the storage array along which pickfaces aretransported between an inbound section of the automated storage andretrieval system, where pickfaces inbound to the storage array aregenerated, and a load fill section of the automated storage andretrieval system, where outbound pickfaces from the storage array arearranged to fill a load in accordance with a predetermined load fillorder sequence, and wherein the racks and the autonomous transportvehicle are arranged so that in combination the racks and the autonomoustransport vehicle effect on the fly sortation of mixed case pickfacescoincident with transport on at least one of the pickface transport axesso that two or more of the at least one pickface are picked from one ormore of the rack storage spaces and placed at one or more pickfaceholding locations, different than the one or more of the rack storagespaces, according to the predetermined load fill order sequence.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theautomated storage and retrieval system comprises a controller operablyconnected to the at least one autonomous transport vehicle and arrangedto manage the pickface transport axes wherein the pickface transportaxes comprises a plurality of transport axes.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theplurality of pickface transport axes are oriented in at least twodirections angled relative to each other.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, oneof the plurality of pickface transport axes defined by extension of theextendable effector is in a different direction angled relative toanother of the plurality of pickface transport axes defined by theautonomous transport vehicle traverse along the aisle.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theracks and the at least one autonomous transport vehicle in combinationeffect on the fly sortation coincident with transport on at least one ofeach of the plurality of pickface transport axes.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theat least one transfer deck comprises more than one transfer deckarranged at different deck levels.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theautomated storage and retrieval system comprises a lift communicablyconnected to each of the decks at the different deck levels, the liftbeing arranged to transport the pickfaces between the different decklevels and defining another pickface transport axis of the storagearray.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, thelift is arranged to effect on the fly sortation of mixed case pickfacescoincident with transport on the other pickface transport axis so thattwo or more of the pickfaces are picked from one or more deck levels andtransported to the load fill section according to the predetermined loadfill order sequence.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, onthe fly sortation is effected coincident with transport on at least oneof each of the plurality of pickface transport axes and each of theother transport axis of the lift.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, anautomated storage and retrieval system is provided. The automatedstorage and retrieval system including a storage array with rack storagespaces arrayed on racks along aisles, at least one transfer deckcommunicably connected with each of the aisles, at least one autonomoustransport vehicle configured for holding at least one pickface andtraversing the at least one transfer deck and aisles, and having anextendable effector for picking and placing the at least one pickface toand from one of the rack storage spaces, at least one lift communicablyconnected to each transfer deck, the lift being arranged to transportpickfaces to and from the at least one transfer deck, and wherein theaisles, the at least one transfer deck, the at least one autonomoustransport vehicle, traversing thereon, the extendable effector and theat least one lift define pickface transport axes of the storage arrayalong which pickfaces are transported between an inbound section of theautomated storage and retrieval system, where pickfaces inbound to thestorage array are generated, and a load fill section of the automatedstorage and retrieval system, where outbound pickfaces from the storagearray are arranged to fill a load in accordance with a predeterminedload fill order sequence, the racks and the autonomous transport vehicleare arranged so that in combination the racks and the autonomoustransport vehicle effect on the fly sortation of mixed case pickfaces onat least one of the pickface transport axes so that two or more of theat least one pickface are picked from one or more of the rack storagespaces and placed at one or more pickface holding locations, differentthan the one or more of the rack storage spaces, according to thepredetermined load fill order sequence, and the at least one lift isarranged to effect on the fly sortation of the mixed case pickfaces onanother of the at least one pickface transport axes so that two or moreof the pickfaces are picked from different ones of the at least onetransfer deck and transported to the load fill section according to thepredetermined load fill order sequence where on the fly sortation iseffected coincident with transport on at least one of each of thepickface transport axes.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theautomated storage and retrieval system comprises a controller operablyconnected to the at least one autonomous transport vehicle and the atleast one lift and arranged to manage the pickface transport axes.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, thepickface transport axes are oriented in at least two directions angledrelative to each other.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, oneof the pickface transport axes defined by extension of the extendableeffector is in a different direction angled relative to another of thepickface transport axes defined by the autonomous transport vehicletraverse along the aisle.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theracks and the at least one autonomous transport vehicle in combinationeffect on the fly sortation coincident with transport on at least one ofthe pickface transport axes.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theat least one transfer deck comprises more than one transfer deckarranged at different deck levels and the at least one lift isconfigured to transport pickfaces between the different deck levels.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, amethod for automated storage and retrieval is provided. The methodincluding providing a storage array with rack storage spaces arrayed onracks along aisles, providing at least one transfer deck communicablyconnected with each of the aisles, providing at least one autonomoustransport vehicle configured for holding at least one pickface andtraversing the at least one transfer deck and aisles, and having anextendable effector for picking and placing the at least one pickface toand from one of the rack storage spaces, defining, with the aisles, theat least one transfer deck, the at least one autonomous transportvehicle, traversing thereon, and the extendable effector, pickfacetransport axes of the storage array, such that pickfaces are transportedalong the pickface transport axes between an inbound section of theautomated storage and retrieval system, where pickfaces inbound to thestorage array are generated, and a load fill section of the automatedstorage and retrieval system, where outbound pickfaces from the storagearray are arranged to fill a load in accordance with a predeterminedload fill order sequence, and effecting on the fly sortation of mixedcase pickfaces coincident with transport on at least one of the pickfacetransport axes, with the racks and the autonomous transport vehicle incombination, so that two or more of the at least one pickface are pickedfrom one or more of the rack storage spaces and placed at one or morepickface holding locations, different than the one or more of the rackstorage spaces, according to the predetermined load fill order sequence.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, themethod comprises managing, with a controller operably connected to theat least one autonomous transport vehicle, the pickface transport axeswherein the pickface transport axes includes a plurality of transportaxes.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, theplurality of pickface transport axes are oriented in at least twodirections angled relative to each other.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, oneof the plurality of pickface transport axes defined by extension of theextendable effector is in a different direction angled relative toanother of the plurality of pickface transport axes defined by theautonomous transport vehicle traverse along the aisle.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, themethod comprises effecting, with the racks and the at least oneautonomous transport vehicle in combination, on the fly sortationcoincident with transport on at least one of each of the plurality ofpickface transport axes.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, themethod comprises defining another pickface transport axis of the storagearray with a lift that is communicably connected to each of the at leastone transfer deck disposed at different deck levels and transports thepickfaces between the different deck levels.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, themethod comprises effecting, with the lift, on the fly sortation of mixedcase pickfaces coincident with transport on the other pickface transportaxis so that two or more of the pickfaces are picked from one or moredeck levels and transported to the load fill section according to thepredetermined load fill order sequence.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, themethod comprises effecting on the fly sortation coincident withtransport on at least one of each of the plurality of pickface transportaxes and each of the other transport axis of the lift.

It should be understood that the foregoing description is onlyillustrative of the aspects of the disclosed embodiment. Variousalternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in theart without departing from the aspects of the disclosed embodiment.Accordingly, the aspects of the disclosed embodiment are intended toembrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances that fallwithin the scope of the appended claims. Further, the mere fact thatdifferent features are recited in mutually different dependent orindependent claims does not indicate that a combination of thesefeatures cannot be advantageously used, such a combination remainingwithin the scope of the aspects of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An automated storage and retrieval systemcomprising: a stack of pickface handoff stations including a firstpickface handoff station having a first shelf configured to hold apickface; a second pickface handoff station including a second shelflevel with the first shelf of the first pickface handoff station; a botcommunicably coupling the first pickface handoff station and the secondpickface handoff station; and a lift configured to lift and place afirst pickface at the first pickface handoff station, and the bot isconfigured to place the first pickface on the second shelf, of thesecond pickface handoff station, so that a first ordered sequence isformed of more than one cases, different than and including the firstpickface; wherein the lift is configured to lift and place a secondpickface, different than the first pickface, on a third shelf of a thirdpickface handoff station stacked with respect to the first pickfacehandoff station, and wherein the bot is configured to place the secondpickface on a fourth shelf, of a fourth pickface handoff station, levelwith the third shelf of the third pickface handoff station, so that asecond ordered sequence is formed of more than one cases, different thanand including the second pickface; wherein the first ordered sequenceand the second ordered sequence are at different levels and combineddefine a successive structured sequence of ordered multiple casesdependent from and embodying a predetermined case out order sequence ofmixed cases having a predetermined successive structured sequence ofordered mixed cases.
 2. The automated storage and retrieval system ofclaim 1, further comprising a controller configured so as to effecttransfer of the first ordered sequence and the second ordered sequencefrom the different levels to an output conveyor at another leveldifferent from the different levels so that combined on the outputconveyor the first ordered sequence and the second ordered sequence formthe successive structured sequence of ordered multiple cases dependentfrom and embodying the predetermined case out order sequence of mixedcases having the predetermined successive structured sequence of orderedmixed cases.
 3. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 1,further comprising another lift configured to transfer the first orderedsequence and the second ordered sequence from the different levels tothe output conveyor the other level.
 4. The automated storage andretrieval system of claim 1, wherein the bot comprising at least oneautonomous transfer vehicle disposed on the level of the first pickfacehandoff station, and at least one other autonomous transfer vehicledisposed on the level of the third pickface handoff station.
 5. Theautomated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the secondshelf forms a common pickface transfer interface for the lift, the liftbeing configured to pick commonly supported pickfaces in common.
 6. Theautomated storage and retrieval system of claim 1, further comprising atransfer deck defining a transport surface for the bot.
 7. The automatedstorage and retrieval system of claim 6, further comprising bot accessaisles connected to the transfer deck; and a storage array, distributedalong the bot access aisles, and having storage racks in multilevelshelves.
 8. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim 7,wherein the bot is configured to place at least a portion of the firstpickface picked from the first shelf on the storage rack of the storagearray before transporting at least the portion of the first pickface tothe second shelf.
 9. The automated storage and retrieval system of claim1, wherein the bot is configured to form the second pickface onboard ofthe bot.
 10. A method comprising: providing a stack of pickface handoffstations of an automated storage and retrieval system, the stack ofpickface handoff including a first pickface handoff station having afirst shelf configured to hold a pickface; providing a second pickfacehandoff station including a second shelf level with the first shelf ofthe first pickface handoff station; providing a bot communicablycoupling the first pickface handoff station and the second pickfacehandoff station; and forming a first ordered sequence by lifting andplacing, with a lift, a first pickface at the first pickface handoffstation, and placing, with the bot, the first pickface on the secondshelf, of the second pickface handoff station, so that the first orderedsequence is formed of more than one cases, different than and includingthe first pickface; forming a second ordered sequence by lifting andplacing, with the lift, a second pickface, different than the firstpickface, on a third shelf of a third pickface handoff station stackedwith respect to the first pickface handoff station, and placing, withthe bot, the second pickface on a fourth shelf, of a fourth handoffstation, level with the third shelf of the third handoff station, sothat a second ordered sequence is formed of more than one cases,different that and including the second pickface; wherein the firstordered sequence and the second ordered sequence are at different levelsand combined define a successive structured sequence of ordered multiplecases dependent from and embodying a predetermined case out ordersequence of mixed cases having a predetermined successive structuredsequence of ordered mixed cases.
 11. The method of claim 10, furthercomprising effecting, with a controller, transfer of the first orderedsequence and the second ordered sequence from the different levels to anoutput conveyor at another level different from the different levels sothat combined on the output conveyor the first ordered sequence and thesecond ordered sequence form the successive structured sequence ofordered multiple cases dependent from and embodying the predeterminedcase out order sequence of mixed cases having the predeterminedsuccessive structured sequence of ordered mixed cases.
 12. The method ofclaim 10, further comprising transferring, with another lift, the firstordered sequence and the second ordered sequence from the differentlevels to the output conveyor the other level.
 13. The method of claim10, wherein the bot comprises at least one autonomous transfer vehicledisposed on the level of the first pickface handoff station, and atleast one other autonomous transfer vehicle disposed on the level of thethird pickface handoff station.
 14. The method of claim 10, wherein thesecond shelf forms a common pickface transfer interface for the lift,the lift being configured to pick commonly supported pickfaces incommon.
 15. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing atransfer deck defining a transport surface for the bot.
 16. The methodof claim 15, further comprising providing bot access aisles connected tothe transfer deck; and providing a storage array, distributed along thebot access aisles, and having storage racks in multilevel shelves. 17.The method of claim 16, further comprising placing, with the bot, atleast a portion of the first pickface picked from the first shelf on thestorage rack of the storage array before transporting at least theportion of the first pickface to the second shelf.
 18. The method ofclaim 10, wherein the bot is configured to form the second pickfaceonboard of the bot.